Fullmetal Alchemist & Transformers: Escalation
by LordThunderwing
Summary: With some of the FMA crew knowing there is other life beyond the stars, all sides are eager to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. How far will the war rage, now that Megatron has made himself known. R&R if you like. A/N Chapter 1 fixed my bad grammer. :P
1. Forging The Stone

I do NOT own FMA or the Transformers. If I said that I did, I would be sued. This story picks up from where Stormbringer left off while still adding a bit of Family Guy stupidity & pointlessness... Now, we're not talkin' Cartoon Network Transformers crap, I mean "Old School" Transformers, G1 stuff... IDW makes some of the best I've seen in a while. They are easily found on . Anyway, this story is based on one of the Transformer novels which happens to be a favorite of mine. Also, all those in "Italic" represent "thought" by the character. Pics are up, go to Photobucket .com & look for conman0102.

Also, redid some of the dialog in chapters 3-6. Took out any & all confusion in my OC. At times, it was getting to me.

Finally, if anyone has any fanart. I'd be interested in seeing it... If I have any fans. :P

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Is all that we see or seem but a dream, within a dream? Edgar Allen Poe.

**Fullmetal Alchemist/Transformers: Escalation**

**Chapter 1: Forging The Stone.**

**Central, 23:00 hours.**  
Ironhide & company arrive at the hospital. Al climbs out from the back & quickly carries Ed inside while Lust & Wrath sit inside. Lust folded her arms under her chest & placed herself in deep thought, wondering who was the possible traitor.

_"We've been here more then on one occasion. I discovered information about the Philosopher's Stone two hundred of your Earth years ago."_

_Two hundred years, who was around then? Our master, Envy & Greed... Greed was locked away, no one tried to rescue him & now he's gone. So, now we're down to two. One or both of you is the traitor." _

"Excuse me, are you two going to join the Tin-man & his brother?" Ironhide asked, interrupting Lust's train of thought.

"Um, no... Not now... Wrath, I'm taking you to our home. Ironhide, please let me drive."

"Um, sure."

As they drove away, Wrath noticed the buildings became unpleasant to look at. They drive past a car that was sitting on a four cement blocks, then another that was burning on the opposite side of the street. "Wow, what a dump." Wrath said. "I know, this is the old part of Central. Welcome to the Ghetto." Lust said as they continued through the rundown projects. They where about three blocks away from the old church when the sound gunfire rang through the area. "Roll'em up." Lust said as she & Wrath quickly rolled the side windows up.

They finally reached the old church as Wrath unbuckled his seat belt. "Aren't you coming?" Wrath asked. "No, I have to make up for lost time & get to Lior. So, get out."

"But, I'm hungry. Aren't you going to make me dinner?"

"Just make yourself a cheese sandwich. You can at least do that. If you ask Envy real nice, he'll probably show you how to make one." "I can't do that, he'll hit me again & call it 'tough love' or 'a hurts donut'."

Lust only ignored his pleas & drove off. "I'm tellin'!" Wrath shouted.

Lust pulled up to the hospital's emergency entrance. "Please wait here. I won't be long." she said as she stepped out. "Hold on, I'm not your personal chauffeur. I have to get back to help prep Thunderwing for transport off this rock."

"They can manage without you. As of now, we have another potential disaster to stop."

"Like what?"

"Let me retrieve Alphonse, then I'll explain on the way." As Lust walks into the Hospital to locate Al, Ironhide makes a call to his peers. "Ironhide to Prime. Come in, please."

"Prime here, go ahead."

"Prime, the female is ordering me to stay put. She said that she needs help in stopping another disaster. What do I do?" "Wait for her to return, then I'll speak with her."

Lust walks around the hospital, searching for Al, when she found him sitting quietly in a chair outside the room that Ed was in. "How is he?" she asked. "I'm just waiting for the doctor to come out." At that moment the doctor walks out as Al stood up. "Well, the good news is, he'll be just fine. He's lucky. Couple of broken ribs & one or two discs in his lower back were dislocated. We also removed what was left of his right arm."

"Call Winry Rockbell in Resembool. She'll take care of his arm. Come Al, we have to leave." Lust said as she turns to leave. Al was somewhat shocked that she knew that information. He quickly follows behind.

Outside Ironhide continued to sit but now in the driver's seat sat a gray haired, early fifties aged man wearing a business suit. Lust & Al walk out only to see the man looking at them. He rolls a window as Lust & Al look at each other. "Are you two coming or not?" The man said, speaking with Ironhide's voice. Al climbed into the back as Lust sat in the passenger's seat. "Before we do anything, myself & Prime want to know what you have in mind?" Ironhide asked. Lust began to wonder if they even knew about the Stone or not & if she should involve them in this. "A war is about to breakout in Lior & it will end as soon as it starts. But a large number of life will end with it." Lust answered firmly, folding her arms under her chest while Ironhide sat silently with his hands on the wheel.

"Tell me, you are aligned to one faction, correct?" Lust asked. "Yes." Ironhide answered. "Do you know if the other faction is here as well?" Ironhide remained silent until Prime broke the silence. "Unfortunately, yes. We have confirmed that the Decepticons are on your world." He said. "There's a man named, Scar in the city of Lior. And he's on the verge of creating a Philosopher's Stone. A gem of enormous power that can grant the user with whatever they desire. I'm sure that if your enemies were to obtain this, they may try to use it to destroy you." Lust said. "Prime?" Ironhide asked. "Very well, take them to their destination & do what you can. But be careful, I'd almost bet the Decepticons know what's transpiring as well." Prime said before closing the channel.

"Okay, where to?" Ironhide asked. "Lior, that's where it's all happening." Lust answered. The van began to pull away, but little did they know, that perched on the edge of the roof across the street from the hospital, Buzzsaw sat recording & listening to the conversation below & begins to follow. Al begins to wonder why her demeanor has changed. For as long as he could remember, she wanted to be human, at any cost. Now, she wants to stop Scar? Why would she throw away her dreams, did the end no longer justify the means? He'll wait until they get to Lior, then ask.

**Liore 04:45 hours  
**The red van stops on the outskirts of the city when they see explosions rock through the streets. Lust & Al exit the van to see Scar chasing after Kimbly. "Wait here." Lust ordered Ironhide as she & Al chased after Scar. After a short time of running, the two could still hear the explosions happening and saw Scar still after Kimbly. "Split up, we'll surround him." Lust said. Al nodded & they ran in different directions.

Meanwhile, Ironhide sat patiently watching the smoke rise in different areas of the city. When he looked in the rear-view mirror. "This is not good, it's too quiet out here. Thought this was to be a war zone." He suddenly heard the sound of a jet engine fly overhead & saw Buzzsaw follow the explosions occurring in the city. "And that's worse." Ironhide begins to drive into the city to find everyone.

Buzzsaw homes-in on the action from the top of a roof as he sees Kimbly & Scar in a stare-down with each other. He began to record the events & noticed Lust standing in an alleyway across from them, hiding in the shadows, but ignored her. "Do you really think it's wise to be chasing me around like this, when the military can step in at any moment Scar?" Kimbly asked with a cocky attitude. "Oh I think I'll chance it to avenge my brother Kimbly." Scar replied. "You're risking your own life for something as pointless as revenge?"

"And what is it that you're killing for?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You mean to say, you slaughter all these people for nothing?"

"At the end of the day, a human-being is nothing more than the components needed to create a common bomb. If you think about it, we're not that special. Not you, not me. We're all empty. We're all worthless" Kimbly preached. Suddenly, he realizes he was standing in the middle of a transmutation circle. It lights up & a large stone hand grabs Kimbly tightly & holds him about twenty feet up. "I might be empty, but I'm not worthless." Al shouted.

"Cut me some slack, Al. I'm just a State Alchemist just doing his job. Just like your brother." Kimbly said. "You're just a murderer." Al said staring up at Kimbly before looking back at Scar. "And you've got to stop this. It won't solve anything."

"Stay out of it Al, you don't understand."

"What will you accomplish, by shedding more blood? Please, just walk away."

The stone hand that held Kimbly suddenly explodes. Kimbly pushes Al forward into Scar's path for a quick diversion as he grabs Scar's left arm. He was just about to use his alchemy when three daggers pierce his chest from behind. As the blades retract, Kimbly's grip loosened & he falls face first to the ground. "Homunculus."

"You're welcome." Lust said as she looked at her fingers & noticed the liquid was green in color. Scar didn't pay attention to the fact & began to walk away as Al stood back up & looked at Scar. "Scar?" He asked.

"You might as well go, there's nothing to discuss here." Scar replied as Ironhide pulled up & the older man stepped out. "I'm afraid you're wrong there's plenty to discuss." He said pointing to the large bird-like creature sitting at the edge of the building above. "What is that?" Scar asked. "It's name is, Buzzsaw." Ironhide answered as a large gun extended from the roof of the van & took aim.

Ironhide took a few shots, hitting the building but missing the Decepticon infiltrator, forcing Buzzsaw to fly off. During the confusion, Kimbly was able to grab Al's legs. "Don't worry Al, I'll make it a slow death." Al screamed in pain as kimbly's alchemy took hold. Meanwhile, back at the Military Command Station in Lior. Pride sat at his desk holding the phone to his ear. "I see. Just keep him comfortable & send him some flowers & a get well card... No, I don't think that would be appropriate... Also, send someone to interview him & get some information on what happened." Pride hung up the phone as Sloth walked over.

"Fullmetal was admitted to the hospital a few hours ago. They said a talking suit of armor & a dark haired woman was with him." Pride said. "I just got off the phone with Wrath. He said, Lust dropped him off at the old church entrance & refused to stay & make him dinner... He also said the van she drove off in was really a robot... What do you think?" Sloth asked. "Personally, I feel Lust has learned something on top of being rescued. But the question now is, what does she know? Are we, or, have we been invaded? Where, how & in what form are they hiding in?" Pride asked. "What about the prisoner from Laboratory five, what should we do with her?" Sloth asked. "Have her executed. We can't have any of this go public." Pride answered.

The sky began to give way to the daybreak. Al stood & stared at his legs. "What's going on? I feel strange." Noticing the blackening before watching Scar pick Kimbly by his coat collar. "You bastard!" Scar said furiously. "My work is so intricate, only an explosives artist like myself can defuse it. But you'll have to find someone else because I'm about to retire." Kimbly said, coughing up some green blood. "No need to hurry, you still have plenty of time left. I made his armor react slowly with the oxygen in the air, gradually spreading until he's completely black."

"Okay, I've had enough." Ironhide said as his holographic-self disappeared & the van transformed. Scar was shocked at the sight as Ironhide grabbed the dieing Kimbly "Alright Facsimile, I want some answers before you die. First, where's Megatron?"

"If you want him, you'll have to go digging around up North for him."

"How many more are there of your kind?"

"They're all over the globe, Autobot. You'll never find them all. To tell you the truth, me & Ms. Sunshine down there, are not so indifferent. The outcome is the same, but the method used to create life is the thing that separates us. In the end, my allegiance is what differs me from most of the others."

"How so?"

"All... Hail... Thunderwing..."

Kimbly dies in Ironhide's hand. Not bothering to lay him down, Ironhide opens his hand & drops Kimbly to the ground. Lust stood in disbelief of the conversation. This proved that Bludgeon was not lying, they were here back then & knowing now, that no one can be trusted. Going home to the underground city may be like wanting a death wish. Scar walked over to Al & knelt down to him. "I'm scared." Al said." "I know, Alphonse. Try not to over exert yourself." Scar said calmly. "The only thing that would save him is if his brother were here. Ed would be able to change his armor into another substance, counteracting Kimbly's alchemy." Lust said in a sad, yet, somewhat seductive tone.

"You think that would work, altering his composition?" Scar asked. "Yes, that would work... At least, I think it would work... I hope it'll work." Lust said. Scar looked at the curiously until Al broke the silence. "This sucks... This is way worse then the time when I forgot how to sit down."

**Curtis home, four months ago.  
**Al walked over & stood about five feet away from a reclining chair with a end table on the side. Izumi walked out the kitchen & saw Al take a flying leap at the chair, destroying it instantly with the table. As he lied in a contorted position, Izumi sighed lightly, folding her arms. "Tell Ed, that dinner is almost ready." Izumi asked. "Okay." Al replied as Izumi walked back into the kitchen.

**Lior, 05:30 hours.  
**"Sorry if I never lived up to your memories of the woman you once knew." Lust said. "To tell you the truth, I never expected you to. I knew you were not the same woman my brother tried to resurrect. You just look like her, that's all. The dead can't be brought back to life." Scar said as he puts his right hand on Al's side. "What are you going to do to him? Tell me damn-it!" Lust said taking step towards him, but stopped dead in her tracks as Scar pulled out the locket & showed it to her. "I'm trying your idea to save the boy, so shut your mouth & watch." Scar ties the locket to the cloth around Al's waist.

Ironhide looks on curiously as Scar puts his right hand back on Al's side. He grits his teeth as the markings on his arm glowed bright red, red lightning cracks off his arm, he screams as his arm begins to defragment before Lust's & Ironhide's eyes. He pulls back, tearing his arm at he point his brother attached his own. Blood splatters the ground as the light dies & the arcane markings appear on Al's body. Ironhide's holographic-self appears once again & begins to aid Scar in bandaging his right arm.

"What have you done?" Lust asked. "That arm... was given to me by my brother... He trapped the souls of the dying Ishbalans inside it. By turning his own body into a transmutation circle." Scar replied. "He did that for a good reason, to create the Philosopher's Stone within himself. A gift that he past on to you... So that means... Wait, have you lost your mind?! You want to turn him into the Philosopher's Stone?!" Lust shouted as Ironhide finished with Scar's arm. "Better that then a bomb, you said if we changed his body into something else, he wouldn't explode. It was the only way I could help." Scar answered.

"To tell you the truth, I don't even know whether or not this will work. But if by some miracle it does, the stone will be theirs & they can do what they want." he added. "By doing this, You'll be making Alphonse the target." Lust said. "What do you mean?" Scar asked as the holographic person vanishes again. "Because our enemies, The Decepticons are on this world too. And if their leader is here, then we'll have a huge problem. Making him into this, Stone thing, will make things even harder." Ironhide side. "It's too late now, what ever happens to Al, it won't be my responsibility. I have a rat in my group, that I need to catch... That might be hard enough on it's own."

Scar & Ironhide look at her curiously until she looked up at the Autobot. "Ironhide, head North, far away from the city & wait for me." she requested. "Um, okay. I'll keep an eye on things." Ironhide complies & transforms back to his van form & drives off. "So, now what?" She asked. "We need Kimbly's body & then-" Scar stopped when he saw Kimbly's clothes sitting in a puddle of green liquid goo. "Eww." Lust muttered. "Okay, new idea." He said as he walked to get some items inside of a building across the street.

Meanwhile, outside the South end of the city, Lt. Colonel Archer stands in front of a large battalion as a solider quickly ran up to him. "Sir, there is no sign of anyone in there at all." The solider said. "They must be planning a surprise attack" Archer said as other officers noticed a figure drop something from the roof top in the distance. "What's that?"

"Someone's up there." Archer was handed a pair of binoculars. "Looks like they killed a State Alchemist..." Archer said before looking up & seeing Scar standing on the rooftop. "I should've known that killer was behind this. But if he thinks he can intimidate us by killing a State Alchemist, he's about to find out how sorrily mistaken he is. The Tank Division will petrol the perimeter, while infantry charges the heart of the city to capture Scar."

As the troops run through the city streets, Ironhide arrived at the North side, far from the drama going on in the city. He contemplates on his options whether he should call the higher ups or not. He folds his arms & stares at the city, watching the privative looking tanks circle around. _"Makes me wonder how they came this far with such crappy looking machinery." _He thought just before an explosion hit his back, causing him to fall face first on the sand. "Don't worry Autobot, I'll take good care of your little flesh-bag friends." the voice said, coming out of nowhere.

**Central Hospital, 06:00 hours.  
**Winry walked down the halls of the hospital, holding small batch of flowers in search of Ed's room. When she finally finds his room, she slowly walks & noticed Ed was sitting up, bandages around his head & Lt. Maria Ross & Sgt. Denny Bloch stood at the end of his bed. "Hello, Winry." Ross said kindly. "Hi, you guys. Didn't expect to see... Oh, my God! Edward, what happened to your arm?! Christ, I leave you alone for less then a week, you end up broken & in the hospital!... How could you be so reckless with yourself?! And where in the hell is, Al?" Winry asked hysterically, but Ed just looked at her with a small smile. "Hi, Winry." He said calmly. Winry calmed herself & sighed knowing the recklessness will die hard with him. "Why can't I ever stay mad at you, Edward?" she asked. "Maybe it's his boyish charm that all girls like so much." the man in the neighboring bed stated.

"Um, not to be rude, but who are you?" Winry asked. "Winry, this is General Adam West." Ross answered. "Hello to all of you & you Edward must feel very lucky to have a wife like her at your side who is so loving & forgiving." Edward started to sweat bullets at the idea as Winry blushed bright red. "Sir, they're only seventeen." Ross stated. "Oh, well, that's fine. I won't tell anyone." West said calmly. "Okay, someone get my clothes. I don't care if they're burned, I can fix them." Ed got out of bed & walked to the closet.

A doctor walks in at that moment & walked to West's bed. He was fat with a small black mustache & short black hair. "Gen. West, I have your test results."

"Okay."

"I'm afraid, you have Lymphoma."

"Oh..."

"You probably got it from rolling around in that toxic waste. Just what were you thinking?"

"I thought I could give myself superpowers."

"That's, that's just plain silly."

"Silly, yes. Idiotic, yes..."

Everyone in the room were left slack-jawed. "Is there any reason why you did that, Sir?" Ross asked. "I'm glad you asked, my dear. I have been studying for years to locate the secret underground city of The Mole People... Since I don't know alchemy, I decided to try to gain superpowers. To combat the evil they would bring to our world." Edward grabbed his flack jacket after getting dressed. "Okay, General. Good luck on that. You tell me how that works out." Ed said before walking out. "Will do." West replied.

**Lior.  
**Lust watches the city became engulfed in the bright, red light of the arcane transmutation that Scar dug in days before. Unfortunately, she is unaware of what is happening to Ironhide since she was on the West side. The light dies away as quickly as it started & Lust wasted little time looking for Al while the military was in disarray. "Alphonse! Alphonse, where are you?!"

She continued to search for him when she noticed a pile of sand that seemed out-of-place. She began to dig through & discovered Al's head. "Alphonse?"

"Lust?" Al explodes from sandy blanket forcing Lust to jump back. "Get away, I'm about to explode!" Lust smiled lightly, almost laughing to herself. "You should look at yourself before jumping to conclusions." She said with a slight tone of humor. "Hey, you're right. I'm normal again. Sort of..."

"Maybe, open your chest plate." He complies & Lust's eyes open widely as she saw the bright, red light illuminating from Al's chest. "What is it? Is it the ham sandwich brother left in the mini cooler?"

"You had a mini-cooler, is that what that smell was? Damn-it Edward..." She said as she stood up & dusted herself off. "All in all, congratulations Al, you found the Philosopher's Stone."

"Yeah, great... I'm my own night light now."

"Wow, you don't have to be a dick about this."

"Put yourself in my place, see how you feel." Lust thought about it for a moment. "Okay, I'll give you that... Lets go find Ironhide."

As they head North, Lust had a feeling of uneasiness. A feeling of being watched struck her nerves. She stopped and started to look around the horizon but saw nothing. "Is something wrong?" Al asked. "No, lets keep moving." She replied as the two crested a sand hill, they see Ironhide, face down & out like a light. They ran to him, calling his name, but with no response. "He was attacked, but who could've done this?" Al asked. "HA! That would be me!" the voice said. "Who are you? Show yourself!" Lust demanded "As you wish." The voice said as a large, far more advanced tank de-cloaks thirty feet beside them. Its cannon barrel pointed directly at them.

"The name is Blitzwing & I'll take the Stone, if you don't mind." Lust extended her blades, about to defend herself & Al. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Blitzwing transforms to his robot form. Tank treads on his shoulders & on the back of his legs, jet wings on his back along with his tank cannon & parts of the jet side of him were made up his chest & feet. "Hand over the Stone & I might let you go home to your brother in one piece." Blitzwing demanded. Lust steps in front of Al as Blitzwing begins to step forward, Ironhide quickly rolls over, drawing his & fires pointblank at Blitzwing's chest, knocking him off his feet. He falls to the ground with major sparking bursting out of his chest.

Ironhide sits up looks at Lust & Al. "You guys... okay?" he asked. "Yes, we're fine. Yourself?" Lust asked. "I don't think I can transform, I was hit hard." Ironhide replied. "Guess we're walking home." Al said. "How far is this, Resembool place?" Ironhide asked. "We have to head for the mountains, that way." Lust answered. "Great..." Ironhide said sarcastically. He begins to stand & places two fingers to his head as a small mic extends from the side of his head.

"Ironhide to Optimus Prime, come in."

"Prime, here."

"Prime, we're heading for an area called Resembool. I can't transform, so we're on foot now. Any chance you can rendezvous with us along the way, we also have the Stone in our possession."

"Understood, we'll meet you A.S.A.P... Prime out."

With that, they begin the long journey home. The mission to stop Scar from making the Philosopher's Stone, ended in failure. And the game, is about to take a far more deadlier turn.


	2. Return of the King

**Chapter 2: Return of the King.**

**Resembool, 07:00.  
**Edward, Winry & Sciezka stand at the train station. Ed welcomes the peaceful scenery, feeling as if it were welcoming him as well. "This is Resembool? Somehow, I guess I was expecting something different." Sciezka asked. "Sorry if it's too rural for your tastes." Winry said disdainfully. "I'm just happy to be home for a change." Ed said calmly as he stepped off the platform. "You never did answer our questions on the train or Lt. Ross' questions back at the hospital. And I've been hearing rumors about some commotion just South of Central... So, what really happened?" Sciezka asked, but Ed just kept walking as the rush of memories from the other night, continued to plague him.

"Edward, Edward!" Winry shouted as she stepped in front of him, forcing him back to reality. "Sciezka & I have asked you questions the whole way here & you ignored us, you changed the subject to something else. I'm personally sick of this crap! Now spill it, or else." "Or else what?" Ed asked as Winry pulled a large wrench from her toolbox. "First, no new arm. Second, a cracked skull." Ed took a step back knowing she'd live up to that argument. Ed thought quickly as to how he was going to explain everything. "Now Winry, let's calm down." Sciezka said nervously. Winry only ignored her & patted the wrench in her hands. "Well?" She asked.

"Well, it's all going to sound kinda strange... Have you ever wondered, if we're alone out there, when you look up at the stars at night?" Ed asked. Winry & Sciezka look at him oddly, wondering what all this was suppose to mean. "I don't know what you may think of science fiction stuff, to me, I literally lived through one." Ed added. "I like sci-fi stuff. Giant robots, space aliens, the whole works." Sciezka said proudly. "That's nice... Anyway, I had the chance to see something like that out of one of those books." He said as he started walking down the dirt road again with the girls following close behind.

"Ed, you're not making much sense. What happened exactly?" Winry asked worriedly. "As far as rumors go, they might be true... We're not alone on this planet. And, it may have been that way for a long time. There are other worlds out there & I had the chance to meet some natives from one." Ed answered. "Wow, you got to meet aliens from another world? What are they like, are they friendly, or mean? Did they probe you?" Sciezka asked excitedly.

"What? No, they didn't probe me... But, they're not so indifferent from us. They've made mistakes, they've had their wars & that combination almost wiped out their entire race. It created a monster & I had the displeasure of meeting the same creature. That's how I got hurt & lost my Automail." Winry & Sciezka looked at each other wondering at the possibility of other life out there as they continued down the road.

**Military Command, Lior.  
**Two trains sit near the main building, side-by-side. One black in color the other was somewhat a dark purple. Soldiers load boxes, crates & injured men onto the trains. Archer screamed in pain as he was loaded onto a train. Far away from the loading, Col. Mustang & his team watch as a group of soldiers dig near where the outside of the city once stood. "I talked to some of the soldiers, Sir. They said the soldier they found before the red light appeared, was a dummy. Then Archer ordered the full assault." Fuery stated before Havoc walked up to Mustang.

"The civilians fled before the millitary invasion, the entire city was empty when the troops arrived. We found a secret passage out of Lior, I've sent a squad to investigate." Havoc stated. "The military's assumptions were wrong, they never panned to resist." Hawkeye said. "That was Scar's plan all along, he lured us here to use our soldiers as ingredients for his alchemy." Mustang said.

"Also, several soldiers said, they saw a dark haired woman run off with Al & they headed North about an hour ago" Havoc said. "What the hell was Alphonse doing out here?" Mustang asked. "Not sure, a couple of soldiers followed them & noticed they walked off with a red metal giant." Havoc added. "Red metal giant? Mustang asked.

"Colonel." Falman said as he stepped aside to revile Bradley standing firmly. He walks over to Mustang & his group as they all stand at attention. "Well?" He asked calmly. "So far, we have twenty-eight confirmed dead, sixty-seven injured including five officers. There's another nine hundred missing. I assure you, we won't rest until we've gotten to the bottom of this."

"And that is clearly not going to happen, until you find the one responsible."

"Scar... I know, Sir."

"No, Mustang. I mean, Alphonse Elric & this supposed dark haired woman that was with him... Can you tell me why they showed up in Lior?"

"That is unknown to me, Sir."

"For what I can see before me, they are responsible for aiding a fugitive which resulted in the loss of countless lives of this fine military."

"Wait you want to put a noose around their necks already, before we even know what happened?" Hawkeye exclaimed before Mustang showed a gesture to her, to pipe-down. "I believe we should allow them to explain their actions for themselves, Sir." Mustang stated. "An official interrogation Mustang, very well. But I should warn you, if you let those suspects get away, you'll be doing the explaining to me... Go, ensure their success." Bradley ordered as Mjr. Armstrong stood before them with several officers. "I've heard some disturbing information Mustang... I've been told that the Elrics may be collaborating with those that call themselves, Homunculi. If this is true, I want you to capture them, if they don't want to come peacefully, then take them out. That is final... Also, be aware. They may have other allies hiding somewhere, perhaps in plain sight... Use caution." Bradley said, as he turned to walk away.

"Is he actually serious?" Havoc asked. "You heard the man. I want a full report on all of Al & his companion's sightings." Mustang ordered as he began to walk away. "Sir, we found something!" A soldier shouted as he ran to the Colonel. The object in question was a silver locket with a blue stone in the center. Mustang looked at it curiously & opened it to find a lock of dark hair inside.

**Decepticon fortress, 10 miles outside Dublith  
**Night began to fall outside. Inside a poorly lit room a Decepticon sat in a chair holding a glowing red ball of energy in his hand when Blitzwing approached him. "Well?" He asked in a high pitched voice. "The ore is pure. No contaminants. We can begin..." Blitzwing answered. "Hmm... About time. Having broken protocol, we can expect a response. I'd like to be ready. Destiny, Blitzwing is within my grasp & I'll let nothing & no one deny me now!" The Decepticon said staring into the ball of energy. "What about the Stone-thingy?" Blitzwing asked. "Leave it for now. I want you & Skywarp to start the next phase. Track down & eliminate the targets I have listed."

**Resembool, 20:30.  
**The sun had almost completely set when Ed woke up on the couch. Rubbing his eyes, then looking at his new metal arm before he ran his hands through his flowing, unbraided hair, minding the bandages still around his head. He gets up & walks to the kitchen & noticed Winry was washing the dishes from dinner. As he stood in the doorway, he couldn't help but give her a once over & admire how much she had blossomed. _"Damn, that black skirt looks good on her... Oh, crap."_ He thought to himself & quickly took his mind out of the gutter, before she or someone else caught him checking out his mechanic.

He walks out the front door, putting his flack jacket on & looked around the horizon. Wondering where his brother is & if he was safe. Allowing him to run off with a homunculus & an alien was not the best idea, but considering everything that has happened, he would like to have some more answers than questions. His train of thought broke when Winry walked outside & stood next to him.

"It's nice out tonight." She said as she looked at him. "Um, yeah... I guess." He said nervously as she wraps herself around his right arm. "Edward, why do you keep throwing yourself into so much danger? And, why do you hide it from me? Don't you trust me?" She asked softly. The sky began to grow darker as Ed tried to get his answers straight as he turned to face her. "Of course I trust you. You've been Al's & my best friend since we were kids. I have to be careful what I may say or do, all because I don't want anything to happen to you... As far as the danger goes, that's what happens when you chase after a stone that may not exist or you're kidnapped by robotic aliens from another planet." He answered. "Is it that important. Isn't their another way?" She asked. "I don't know. If there was, I would've found it by now... Why are you asking me these questions?" He asked.

Winry was having a difficult time answering as tears ran down her face & out of pure instinct, she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck & began to sob uncontrollably. He was shocked by all this, he's never seen her act like this. He slowly wrapped his arms around her mid-section & held her tightly, trying to comfort her. "Winry, what's wrong?" He asked quietly, yet nervously & began to sway her back & forth. "I... I don't want anything to happen to you... I don't want you to end up like my parents... I don't want that two in the morning call saying, that something happened to you... If that were to happen, it'd kill me... I... I love you & every time I hear you get hurt, I worry that... something worse is around the corner." She said, before continuing her crying.

He was torn & in even more shock. Love? Did she just made a heart-felt confession of her true feelings or has everything finally gotten to her? She's never had a breakdown like this before. Should he confess how he feels or hold it to make sure? Although, he may not have a second chance. He decides to take a flying leap. "I... I love you too Winry... It's okay, nothing like that will ever happen to me. I can handle myself, I'll be fine... I promise." He said calmly, tightening his hold on her as her sobbing began to quiet down as she regained control over herself.

The sky had grown dark as the stars began to show themselves in the night sky. The moon also began to shine & lit the surrounding area. She leaned back slightly & made sure she didn't loosen her hold on him as he did the same. They both looked in each others eyes & began to lean forward, closing their eyes as they came within the final inch of their first kiss when Sciezka throws the front door open. "Hey, guys!" She shouted as the two jumped away from each other in a panic. Ed went flipping over the handrail & landed on the ground, head first. "Did I interrupt something?" Sciezka asked, watching Winry grasp her chest & breathing heavily. Edward was still lying on the ground, totally out of touch with reality, dazed & confused.

(Author's note: Hope you Ed/Winry fans liked this spot. I thougt it was a good first attempt. Anyway, back to live action.)

**Resembool, 09:00, the following day.  
**Winry & Ed stood over his mother's grave as he placed a small batch of flowers down on top. She stood by his left side & held his hand. "Seven years." He mentioned. "Hell of a seven year period." She said as they began to walk home. Meanwhile, back at the Rockbell house. Sciezka lied sick from hunger on the couch. Her stomach growled shortly before hearing a knock at the front door. "Winry, you're back! Thank God, I'm starving." She said as she ran to open the door. She opened the door thinking of greeting Winry, but jumped back in fright at who was really at the door.

"Lt. Ross?" She exclaimed. "And don't forget, Sgt. Bloch." He said proudly from behind. "And so you followed us, I knew we saw something we shouldn't have. And now we're going to die because of it. Oh please spare our lives, I never should've joined the military, I wish I listened to my mom!" Sciezka cried out in a panic. "Sciezka, please calm down, we're not going to do anything to you. We need to talk to Edward, where is he?" Ross asked. "He went with Winry to see his mother's grave... Why?" Sciezka said nervously.

About a few miles away, at the train station. A man in a brown overcoat, long blond hair in a pony tail, blond beard & wearing glasses, stands was about to walk down the stairs when he noticed several vehicles approach from the West. Leading the way as the row turned, was a red cab-over semi with a gray trailer, followed by two white sports cars, one with green & red stripes & the other with a blue hood, followed by a white van with red lights on it's roof & A yellow lamborghini. He watched curiously, never seeing models like that before.

**Cybertron**  
Deep inside Thunderhead Pass, the deactivated bodies of Thunderwing & Bludgeon sat side-by-side underneath a pair of tarps. The room they sat in was empty, but in the next room, Jetfire & the Technobots work to find any & all information of Bludgeon's work & his primary job, as far as his Decepticon status goes. Jetfire walks into he next room, to check the dormant giants. He looks under Bludgeon's tarp & he is satisfied with what he saw. He looks under Thunderwing's tarp & noticed something different. He pulls the tarp off & saw he was no longer in Ultra Mode. In fact, it was nothing more then a dummy version, sticking it's tongue out. "What the hell is this crap?" He yelled, forcing the Technobots to see what he was screaming about. The shocked expressions told the story.

About a mile away, two large doors have been left open. Down below, Thunderwing walked to a large vault door. His engines are powered down, its wings still show the bullet holes from before, slight cracking in its armor. _"This thing's mind in like a jigsaw puzzle. What was this poor bastard thinking when he did what he did to himself?" _The voice inside said. Thunderwing rips the vault door off its hinges & walks inside. _"This is like a museum of failure... I almost feel sorry for Thunderwing... Ooo, what's this?"_ Thunderwing walk to a door that had a stamp on it, "Caution, Experimental Power Core_". _

_"I gotta see this_." He opens the door to find a bright purple glow from the top & bottom of a large rounded cylinder-like container. He noticed a label on the side. _"Hermetically Sealed, Self-Regenerating Dark Matter Fission Core... Only two of these have ever been made. The robot Sixshot has one & Thunderwing made a second, incase he were to get 'out of hand' & went crazy with his power... Well, finder's keeper's..."_ Thunderwing grabbed the core & placed it against his chest & it began to disappear in a blue outlined alchemic light.

Black lightning began to crack around him as his wounds began to heal & his engines fired up. Along his back, a transmutation circle forms. A human skull with red glowing eyes in the center of his back with an Ouroboros in the center of its forehead, scythes cross over each other under the skull & finishing with some of the markings of the arcane transmutation from Laboratory Five across his wings. "Much better." He said in a low, thundering voice. "I am the possessing spirit & I now have control over you. The bond cannot be broken... So deal with." He looked around & found several metal boxes sitting on shelf with wires running from each box. He noticed that all of them had tags on them. "Hmm, Mass-Displacement module? That might be helpful." It began to disappear into his chest. "There, time to head home."

He turned to walk out when he saw a transformer stand in front of the doorway. His color scheme was purple & grey, he looked like he had a four pointed crown on his head & a cannon with an orange colored barrel attached to his right arm. "Um, care to move out of my way, so I can leave?"

"Thunderwing, you are coming with me."

"Like hell, I am. You can bite my shiny metal ass, homo."

"How dare you insult me! No one insults, Galvatron!"

"First time for everything, now get out of my way." He said as he made his way to the door. Galvatron raised his gun to Thunderwing, but he only kept walking to the door. "You are coming with me. And that is final."

"Look, I am not going on any gay honeymoon with you. Now step aside, chump." Thunderwing ordered, but Galvatron only fired a blast in the center of his chest, knocking Thunderwing back a few steps. After regaining himself he looks at at his smaller foe & smiles sadistically. "Okay, you asked for it."

Thunderwing begins to charge at Galvatron as he fires at the monster once again, but does little to slow him down. Thunderwing back-hands Galvatron against the wall before smashing his other fist into him. Driving Galvatron deep into the wall. "Busted your balls, bitch..." Thunderwing said, cracking his knuckles. He looks at his left wrist to view his watch. "Going on ten, I gotta go to work... Have a nice day... Faggot."

**Resembool, 09:30  
**Ed, Winry, Shiezka, Ross & Bloch stood in front of the remains of the Elric family home. During the whole time, Ross stood in total disbelief. "My God, I didn't know you lost your home too." Ross said. "You said the military was after Al & a woman that was with him. What the hell is all that about?" Ed asked. "They're wanted in connection to an incident that happened back in Lior. Some kind of major offense against the military & the Fuhrer ordered them captured or killed if necessary. A friend in the Communication Department told me about the bulletin... It also said they had a metal giant with them. Local police are also to keep a lookout for them." Ross said, noticing Ed's eyes shoot open.

"Next thing I knew, Lt. Ross said we're taking a little vacation. I thought she was romancing me." Bloch said, but Ross only sighed. "The rumors are getting pretty serious. Aliens hiding among us. The fight that went on South of Central." Ross said before everyone noticed the line of vehicles coming up the road.

Ed walks to the front of the group with Winry close behind as the red semi came to a stop as did the others. "Going for a new look?" Ed asked as everyone looked at him curiously. "Ironhide, has your brother & your female friend with him. They're heading this way from the East. Apparently, following this river was one of the few ways leading to the far East." Prime said as everyone jumped in fright, except for Ed. "That truck talked? Trucks don't talk!" Bloch shouted nervously. "That's only because, I'm not a truck... Autobots, transform." Prime ordered as changed to their respective robotic forms.

Winry grabbed the back of Ed's jacket out of fear, even though, he told her the story. "Winry, it's okay. These are the good guys... Where are the others?" Ed asked. "The Wreckers are back on Varas. Jetfire & the Technobots are on Cybertron dealing with Thunderwing." Prime answered. "Well, it seems that the whole military knows about you guys now." Ed said. "I know, it's unfortunate... It was never intended for us to be discovered. But when Thunderwing was brought here, our hand was forced." Prime noted. "So, now do you believe me?" Ed asked, looking over his shoulder at Winry, seeing her nod gently.

Prime puts a hand to the side of his head as a comm. mic appeared from the side of his head. "Ironhide, we're at the rendezvous point, what's your location?" Prime asked. Upstream, Lust & Al jump from boulder to boulder with Ironhind closely following behind. "Yeah, Prime. We're nearly there... Hope Ratchet is with ya, my back is kill-" Ironhide was interrupted as a wave of energy knocks him over & into the river. Lust & Al turn in shock, wondering what had happened when they noticed they were surrounded by military officers. "Not good." Lust said as she extends all of her fingers. "Any ideas?" Al asked nervously. "Yes, just one." She said as she charged at the five man group of officers. The draw their guns & began to shoot, but have no affect. She was about to slash them all when the ground explodes into a ball of fire, completely engulfing her.

**Down below.**  
"Ironhide, Ironhide! Come in... Autobots, move in." Prime ordered. As the Autobots easily skip over the small wall, Edward quickly followed. "You guys head back to the house & stay there!" Ed shouted as he climbed the wall. "Edward!" Winry shouted. "Just do as I say!" Ed shouted back. Back up top, Lust steps out of the flames & quickly regenerates herself. "Sorry Sparky, it'll take more then that to kill me." She said humorously.

"So I see, you're one of them?" Mustang asked. "If you mean, a homunculus... Then, yes." Lust answered noticing Ironhide was beginning to rise as she extended her blades again. Ironhide draws his weapon as Lust was preparing to act when Al walked in front of her. "All of you, stop it right now." He demanded. "Alphonse, move. We don't have time for negotiation." Lust ordered. "Before you do anything, look at what's hanging from the Colonel's belt." Al said. Lust peered from his side & noticed the locket hanging to the side. "I must have dropped it out in the desert back in Lior." Al added as Ironhide took aim but the gun was quickly knocked out of his by a stone spike.

"All of you, freeze!" Prime said angrily as he, Jazz & Wheeljack stepped out from the woods next to Mustang while Sunstreaker & Ratchet stepped out from the woods on the other side of the river all holding their respected weapons. Mustang's eyes almost popped out of his head as did everyone else. Mustang tries to find a vantage point & thinks he may have one. "I wouldn't try it, Colonel." Ed said stepping out from behind Primes left leg, knowing he was about to snap his fingers. "Trust me Colonel, these guys are really not in the position to lose." Ed added.

Hawkeye had no choice but to holster her gun as did the other officers. "Smart move." Ed said as he walked over to Mustang, he grabs the locket from his side & puts it in his pocket. "So, what I've been hearing about alien robots is true." Mustang said. "Yeah, guess so." Ed said sarcastically as Al & Lust approached him. "Care to explain why you're after my brother & her?" Ed asked. "The Fuhrer wants your brother & her captured in connection with what happened in Lior." Mustang answered. "Do you really want to know why you're after us?" Lust asked calmly as everyone looked at her curiously. "If you do, get rid of the rest of your squad & I will hand pick those that are trust worthy of the information we have... This will be the only condition." She added.

Armstrong walks up to Mustang from behind & leans down slightly. "Do you want me to keep them busy, Sir? Take them back to Lior? I could produce false information to keep the attention off of Central for a while." He asked. "Do it, I'll catch up later." Mustang replied. "You'll go to Resembool?" Armstrong asked as Mustang nodded. "Men our mission is complete, we can return with our heads held high!" Armstrong said proudly as he approached the handful of men that Lust almost killed. "But, aren't you suppose to keep an eye on the Colonel?" An officer asked. "You dare question the integrity of a man who's muscles can do this?" Armstrong asked as he flexed himself. "Um, no Major, that's not it." The officer replied nervously. "I'll show you what they can do." Armstrong said s he began to flex himself again. Lust began to rub her forehead lightly. "This man's muscles must be cutting the blood off to his brain or his ego is eating itself."

**Central, 10 miles South.**  
Thunderwing emerges through a bright bluish/white warp portal above the planet's atmosphere. He begins to make his decent to Bludgeon's underground base. He transforms just above the entrance & lands near the dirt covered door. He bends down & digs his claws into the massive steel doors & rips them off their hinges. He tucks his wings slightly & begins to walk down the hollowed halls. He forces the large doors to the main control room open.

When he entered, the room was empty. No power, no computers, no bio-pods, nothing. _"Well, this is getting me nowhere." _He thought as he walked into another empty room. He kneels down & although the room is dark, Thunderwing can see everything. He noticed there were human footprints made recently in some dirt on the ground. They led to & from a wall he was facing. He stands up & starts to knock on different areas of the wall. "Lets see what's behind door number one." He said as he clapped his hands together & placed one on the wall. Black & blue lightning crack off his hand, but nothing else happened. _"Seems that re-empowering this body still doesn't allow me to use normal alchemy, even though, it is a real body... Oh well, guess I'll go "old school" with this."_ He thought as he brought his right arm back & slams it into the wall, leaving a large dent.

**Underground City, Sub-complex.  
**Bludgeon stood in front of the two Bio-pods that stood in the corner of the room when a alarm went off at the computer at th back of the room. He walks over & looks up at the monitor to see Thunderwing, bashing at the secret door that he used earlier. He notices the transmutation marking on his back & wonders who was in control. Bludgeon presses a button that started a count down timer. He looks back at the monitor & noticed another transformer walked in. "Wait, who's that guy?"

Thirty Nano-kliks to detonation.

**Underground Complex.  
**"Thunderwing." Galvatron said angrily. "Huh, you again?" He answered turning to face Galvatron. "How many times do I have to say, no? You're like a bad case of the crabs!" He added. "You will serve the expansion!" Galvatron shouted.

Fifteen Nano-kliks to detonation.

"Listen buddy, the only expansion I sever, is the one down stairs." Thunderwing argued proudly. "Besides, I don't swing that way... You four pointed crowned, faggot." He continued. "What? How dare you insult me!" Gavatron shouted, but Thunderwing only gave him a smirk & a DX salute. "If you don't like it, then I got two words for ya." He said.

Five Nano-kliks to detonation.

"Suck it!" He added proudly. Galvatron angrily raised his cannon as black lightning started to crack around Tunderwing & a ball of energy collected in his right hand. As they both took their respected shots, the compound is rocked by a thunderous explosion. The ground caves in forming what looks like a large crater on the surface.

(Author note: DX - D-Generation X. WWE, that's all I need to say.)

**Resembool  
**The group gathered at the remains of the Elric home. Prime was in a kneeling position with a holographic image of Jetfire's head, showing him to all that were present while Ratchet attended to Ironhide. "Hey Jetfire, how's it going?" Ed asked as everyone noticed how chummy he was with him. "Edward, greetings. I see you've been repaired." Jetfire replied. "Yeah, for now at least. Until I break something again." Ed added. "Well, the reason I'm calling Prime is far from social... Thunderwing is gone." He said disdainfully. "WHAT?" Ed, Al & Lust shouted. "My sentiments exactly." Prime added.

"We think he went back to Earth, keep in mind, we know there is no conscious mind at work with Thunderwing... But he left us some clues... Apparently, there was a storage bunker that either no one knew about or everyone forgot. We're cataloging everything that was in the bunker & we also came across a serious looking vault. The door was ripped off the hinges. It was labeled, 'Experimental Power Core'. From there, I detected Dark Matter particles... If Thunderwing is running around with that, it'll make Ultra-Energon seem like a walk in the park, as the humans would say." Jetfire said.

"Also, it seems Bludgeon was given the job of de-archiving some kind of sealed work-in-progress cache. I'm still working on its point of origin. Anyway, he stumbled across something called, Regenesis." He added. "Regenesis?" Prime asked. "A kind of cosmic seeding initiative. We're missing a lot of the whys & wherefores. I suspect Bludgeon deleted a lot of it himself, but ultimately the trial led him to Earth." Jetfire said.

"Hmm, just before everything started with Thunderwing, I received a pulsewave from Prowl's detachment. The Decepticons here have engaged Siege Mode unexpectedly." Prime said. "Coincidence?" Jetfire asked. "I'm not a great believer in it. At this point, what worries me right now, why is Thunderwing here? And who or what is guiding him?" Prime asked as Ed, Al & Lust look at each other, the fealing of fear returning to their shaken nerves. "My advice, try to lay low. I'll contact you once I find out more." Jetfire said.

"Very well, good luck. Prime out." Prime closed the small door on his arm. _"Why have you come back... Are you here to finish the job, or something else."_ Prime thought as he stood up & looked out to the horizon.


	3. House Cleaning

**Chapter 3: House Cleaning.**

(Begin soundtrack: CCR - Green River.)

**Resembool, 10:30**  
From a hill top, not far from the train station. Ed, Al, Lust, Mustang & Hawkeye watch Prime & the other Autobots drive down the road, away from the station. "Well, no military yet. Guess that's one positive thing we can look at." Ed said as he & the others hide behind the bushes in front of some trees on the hill top. "For how long, is a good question. I know Armstrong can keep them off your backs for at least forty-eight hours. After that, I can't guarantee anything." Mustang added.

"If the worst happens, we can at least call for help." Ed said looking at the watch looking device on his left wrist that had the red Autobot symbol on the face. "I wish they had something in a different color for me. I don't like having to make red work... It clashes with my dress." Everyone looks at her oddly, wondering if this is the biggest thing she has to worry about.

They were about to leave when the sound of sobbing grabbed their attention. Bloch walked along the dirt road, sobbing to himself like a child who lost a fight at school, or something to the affect. "What the hell is Bloch doing out here?" Ed asked. "And why is he crying like a little girl?" Lust asked as Ed & Al looked at her, not believing how her attitude had changed. However, the thought was short lived when she extended her blades & readied herself. "Lust, wait. It's okay, Bloch isn't after anyone. He's cool." Ed said nervously as he quickly grabbed her arm.

(End soundtrack.)

"Hey, Bloch." Ed said as he stepped out from the bushes. "Um, what's wrong with you?" he asked as Bloch continued to cry like a baby. A few minutes later, the team walks back to the house & hides behind a stone wall. They saw a dark blond haired man sitting at a table across from Lt. Ross on the back porch. "See, what'd I tell you. She's falling for it, hook, line & sinker." Bloch said as he bit his hat. "This is very touching & all, but I'm afraid we have bigger concerns at the moment." Lust stated. "There's something about that guy, he seem familiar. Doesn't he brother?... Brother?" Al said looking & noticing Ed was gone. They look on in shock as he sprinted across the lawn & onto the porch.

(Begin soundtrack: Stroke 9 - Kick some ass.)

"You asshole, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Ed shouted as he punched the man & sent him over the railing. "Edward, what the hell?" Ross shouted. "You've been gone for over ten years, then you decide to come home just to have me catch you pulling this shit. Damn you, old man." Ed shouted as the rush of memories came to Al, realizing the man Ed attacked was in reality their father. "I remember him, from the pictures... Dad! Dad's home!" Al said as he ran to the house. He arrives as the older man started to sit up & noticed the suit of armor standing before him.

"I-I know you may not be able to tell who I am, 'cause of he way I look." Al said sadly. "Alphonse... You certainly got taller." Hohenheim said. "How did you know it was me?" Al asked, somewhat shocked. "Edward... So, do you still hate drinking milk?" He asked calmly as the look of hate filled Ed's eyes. He jumps over the rail & drives his left foot into Hohenheim's stomach. "Who are you calling a micro-sized, half-pint who didn't get to grow up 'cause he didn't drink his milk!" Ed shouted. "That's not what he said, Edward." Lust & Riza embarrassingly said.

(End soundtrack.)

**Central, 10 miles South.**  
The ground explodes as Thunderwing emerges from the center of the crater. "Ouch." He said rubbing the back of his head & looking around he area before stepping out of the hole & began to walk away. He knew he was onto a clue, otherwise someone wouldn't have gone to the trouble of destroying the base. It was almost as though, this were a game of chess. Question is, what move should he make next? Even if he went to the Autobots, they might be reluctant to believe him. He turned & looked into the direction of Resembool. _"Guess it's time to go home. Hope the mass-displacement works, otherwise, I'm going to need a bigger house." _He thought to himself as he looked down & noticed something shining in the sun. He kneeled down to examine the object & discovered it was a pocket watch. He grabs it by it's chain & flips it into his hand. "Time to pay the owner a visit... But, there's something I need to do first."

**Resembool 11:00**  
Ed sat on the back porch steps, still seething after seeing his father return home. He couldn't help but reflect back on every moment of hell that he & Al went through. Their losses, the pain & suffering, having to burn their home & meeting a bunch of robotic alien lifeforms, kidnapped & attacked. Seeing his father romancing his way into Ross' pants, was the icing on the cake. His train of thought was interrupted when Lust opened & closed the sliding door while holding a cup of coffee. She calmly walked over & sat down next to him.

"This has been an, interesting morning thus far." Lust said with a sarcastic tone. "Do you think I'm a jerk for attacking him?" "No... If I were in your shoes, I might've done the same thing. But, the others may think different... However, don't take this badly. But, you really need, Anger Management." Lust said with a slight tone of humor. "I don't have anger issues." Ed snapped back as Lust only looked at him after having a sip of her coffee.

She sat her cup down next to her, crossed her legs, rested her arms on her legs & leaned forward. "February 14th, last year. You were in Dublith, you took Izumi out for lunch & shopping for Valentine's Day. Someone at the diner that you went to, made reference to your height. You took the wooden chair you were sitting in & smashed it over his head."

"So, he deserved it. He called me a carpet ant."

"December 19th, before the 'snowmobile incident'. You were looking at some wine bottles & a man shoved you over & called you "shorty". You then took an expensive bottle of wine & smashed it across his face." Ed just looked at the ground, knowing she may be right.

"Shall I continue?" Lust asked. "No, I've heard enough... You think I should talk to somebody."

"Well, either that, or you can get into drugs & alcohol. Become a strung-out, burned-out drugy after doing tons & tons of drugs. You go through Re-hab for a year. Then you come back & start your search for the Stone all over again." Ed looked at her wondering if she was serious. "Anyway, what's this thing about you wanting to show something to everyone?"

"Like I said, it's on a need-to-know bases. I have my reasons not to trust anyone, even you."

"Say what? Why in the hell don't you trust me?"

"Simple, Bludgeon wasn't lying when he said he was here two hundred years ago... And everything that has been happening for the past several years, has all been a load of crap." Ed looked at her in shock wondering what all this was suppose to mean. He didn't have to wait long to find out as Lust stood up & walked to the sliding door. "Alright, Edward. Lets get this over with." Lust said as she opened the door.

Ed got up & followed her into the house. Inside he was surprised to see everyone in the dining room. "Alright, Al called us in here. What's all this about?" Mustang asked. Lust walked to the center of the room & folded her arms under her chest. She new what she was going to ask was going to be difficult to accept, but if they want answers, they have little choice but to accept her demands. "What I want to do, is determine if all of you are, who you say you are." Lust said, grabbing everyone's attention.

"And why do you need to do this, are you afraid Envy might be in the room?" Ed asked as Hohenheim's eyes shot open. "No, not so much him. True, his shape shifting abilities do give him an edge on infiltration, but there are other creatures roaming the planet too. Some may be in the highest levels of many governments & their armed forces." Lust said. "Wait, are you saying, there are more homunculi, like yourself, running our government?" Riza asked nervously. "Not quite, but Bradley & Douglas are both homunculi." She said. Everyone was shocked except for Hohenheim, who just sat quietly at the table, sipping at a glass of wine. The man that the country looked up to, was really one of the creatures that stood before them.

"How can we tell, if he really is, like you?" Mustang asked. "His tattoo is behind his eye patch. He also goes by the name of Pride. Douglas, who also goes by the name of Sloth, has the ability to drown her victims with her power over the water in her body." She added. "Anyway as I was saying originally. From what me & Alphonse learned while in Lior, these other creatures are called, Facsimiles." She added. "Facsimiles?" Ed asked. "The Autobot's enemies, the Decepticons, employ Facsimile Avatars, Bio-Technological organisms grown in Fusion Tubes." Lust explained.

"And these Facsimiles, they look like us?" Sciezka asked. "Look like you, think like you. Many are implanted with actual memory engrams, taken from the original subject. Until they're activated, they don't even know they're artificial. At least, that's what Ironhide told us." Lust answered. "Was Kimbly one of them?" Mustang asked. "Yes... He was always a loose cannon. Whether he was like that originally, I have no idea... Facsimiles are prone to 'misfuction' & when they do, the Decepticons grow another from the same source... Ironhide said, the originals would be held in a facility of some-kind..." Lust answered.

"That explains why you had me order my soldiers away. Because of fears of a Facsimile spy, perhaps?" Mustang asked. "Yes... that was one reason, but mostly because I wanted to narrow my search for a Facsimile that may be in this room... What I am going to show you will not leave this house, is that understood?" Lust asked as everyone nods their heads. "Good... Before I show you anything though, I am going to preform a blood test of sorts." She added. "Blood test, with what?" Ed asked. "My method is going to be simple, I'm going to prick you all in the hand & see what color your blood will be. If it's red, you're fine. If something else, you die. It's that simple."

"Don't you think this might be a bit extreme?" Riza asked as Lust extended her forefinger. "Wait, Lust... We've been through a lot over the past week. Granted, I don't know what happened to you or Al in Lior, but whatever it is that you & Al have to show, I'll take full responsibility if anything is leaked out." Ed said. Lust only looked at him wondering if she should trust his conviction, yet, the conversation from a few minutes ago was nice, but business is business. She looked at Al who stood next to the couch & say him nod. "Very well, but Edward, this will be on your head." Lust said as she retracts her blade.

"Alright, Alphonse, show them." Lust ordered. Al was about to unlock his chest plate when they heard a humming sound that seem to be all around them. Hohenheim stood up & walked to the front door while everyone else ran outside to the shock of a large ship hovering high in the air. Ed recognized the the shape & color scheme, the color in his face turned pale as the ship transformed in midair, revealing the monster he fought against. Thunderwing lands on the grassy landscape about fifty yards from the house, leaving a slight rumbling sound & indentations as his feet touch the ground.

They look up in shock as Thunderwing kneels down & rests his arms on his bent knee & looks at their frighten faces. "Why do you take a picture, it'll last longer." he said spooking everyone's nerves except for Hohenheim. "Brother, do you remember if he ever talked?" Al asked. "Um, in between his screaming. I don't think so." Ed answered nervously. "When you said, you were coming back with something big, I thought you were going fishing." Hohenheim said as he looked up waked towards Thunderwing. "You should seen the one that got away." He said humorously. Thunderwing tosses the pocket watch from his hand to Hohenheim. He catches it & looks over at the group. "Anyone lose a watch?" He asked as he walked back the group. Edward took it from his father, then looked back up at Thunderwing. "Um, thanks... I guess."

Thunderwing stands back up & powers his engines down. "Okay, keep back. I'm sure this may have some fallout." Thunderwing said as yellow lightning cracks around his body as Roy put his gloves back on & Ed clapped his hands but Hohenheim stopped them both as they watched Thunderwing began to shrink in size. He stood there & looked himself over, to be sure everything was proportionate with the rest of him. _"Well, so far, so good... Just have to figure out how to get my original body back, without letting Thunderwing go."_ He thought as he walked toward the group.

They were surprised how he went from nightmarishly big to seven foot tall. He stopped just ten feet shy of the group as Hohenheim walked to him & extended hand. Thunderwing grabbed his hand gently & shook. "It's been a long time, old man." Thunderwing said. "Yes, it has" Hohenheim added. "Wait, you know who's behind this?" Ed asked. "Oh, of course, I've known him for years... He's trust worthy." Hohenheim answered. "Sorry to be rude, but as I mentioned before, "trust" is rather difficult for me to accept at the moment." Lust stated. "She's just like the last one." Thunderwing said noticing Lust was almost taken back by the statement. "Well, if you want proof, call Bradley in an hour." He added humorously. "Bradley, why him?" Riza asked. Thunderwing only smiled & chuckled lightly.

**Central Military Command. 12:00**  
Pride walk out of his office after a rough day of receiving prank calls & bogus messages. As he walks down the hallway to the mess-hall, when a man holding a live chicken stops him. "Fuhrer Bradley, I was asked to give this to you" The man said. "It's a chicken." Pride answered. "No it's not, Sir. It's a cock. Apparently, you love cocks." The man added as Pirde's eye widely opened. "Why don't you go choke your chicken... In fact, you tell whoever put you up to this, that I am not in the mood." Pride said sternly before he continued down the hallway.

As he continues down the hall Sloth walks out of the lady's room in her work clothes as Wrath walked out of the men's room across from her. They both noticed Pride walking up to them. He had a very disgusted look on his face, a look that is very uncommon with him. "Wrath, why are you here?" Pride asked. "I brought him. He said he didn't want to be alone." Sloth answered. Pride rubs his forehead, trying to sooth the headache that seemed to be worsening. "Think I'll go home for the rest of the day." Pride said before he was about to start towards the main doors, a man waring an alien mask, gloves & a black cape as he walked out of a closet that was next to the Men's Room.

"What the hell?" Wrath asked as the alien started to make child-like noises. Pride was not impressed by this at all. Wrath put both of his hands over his mouth to contain his laughter. As Pride started to walk down the hall, the man in the costume began to mimic his movement & stance along the way, making Wrath laugh harder. Pride suddenly stops & turns to look at the costumed man following & gives him a death-stare. The man turns with his head hung low & walks away.

As they continue on their way, they're stopped by two shirtless, buffed men that were waring black pants & bow-ties. "Excuse me, Sir. We're ready." The first one said as Pride looks at the two. "Ready for what?" Pride asked. "Ready to blow your mind." The second man asked. "Hit it, Slim." The first man said as another male stripper, who was also very fat, started a small radio. The fat stripper danced to the front of the other two & ripped his pants off, showing his leopard colored thong & his bulging package (so to speak) & squirting oil on his chest.

Pride turns to walk away with Wrath & Sloth trying their best to keep from laughing. As they reached the main front doors, they were stopped by a delivery man who was holding a box & clipboard. "Fuhrer Bradley, will you please sign for this?" The man asked. "Sign for what?" Pride asked back. "Your delivery." The man answered. "What are you delivering?" Pride asked. "Oh... It's your imported, penis enlargement pump." The man said as he reached into the box & pulled out a smaller box that said "Pistol Pump with Sense Sleeve"... Pride stared at the man with a look of death in his eye. "I am going to kill whoever is behind this!" Pride shouted as he threw the door open while Wrath & Sloth stayed a few steps back, still trying to contain their laughter.

**Resembool, 13:30.**  
"What was that?... A chicken... A man dressed like an alien... Three male strippers... And he was then given, a what?" Riza asked over the phone while everyone made themselves comfortable in the dining room once again. Hohenheim couldn't help but laugh, knowing that Bradley left work in a very "despondent" mood. "Shadow, you outdid yourself." Hohenheim said. "Yeah, I'm terrible. Like the time i put super glue on the toilet seat in that hardware store." He said as he & Hohenheim gave each other a "high five".

"Wait, you did that?" Mustang shouted as Thunderwing nodded. "Shadow? I thought your name was Thunderwing." Ed asked. "Shadow was my homunculan name before I took this body & I would appreciate if you would call me that instead of Thunderwing. Because, as far as I'm concerned, he no-longer exist. All that is left, is his shattered memories." He replied.

Ed was taken back by his statement as Riza hung up the phone, completely shocked at Bradley's embarrassing afternoon. "You are horrible." Riza said. "Yeah, I couldn't resist leaving my calling card." Thunderwing replied humorously. His mood quickly changed when he figured, this was not an ordinary get-together. "So, what's with the group meeting? Or are you putting on a dog & pony show?" Thunderwing asked sternly, noticing everyone was rather reluctant to say anything. "Alphonse, go ahead & show us what you have." Hohenheim asked.

"Show us what?" Thunderwing asked as Al was about to unlock his chest plate. "Hold on... how do we know we can trust him? He might be a friend of yours, Hohenheim. But he hasn't given us any real proof, except some childish pranks." Lust said as Ed started to laugh. "I don't know, the male stripper part seemed pretty good." Ed said. "All of you can trust him. Besides, if he wanted to kill us, he would've done it by now." Hohenheim added. "Well, he's done a nice job of wrecking my home. Is he going to pay for this?" Pinako asked as she pointed to the damaged front door & frame. "Yeah, um... Just send me the bill." Thunderwing replied, feeling rather bad about that.

"Okay Al, show us what you have. And it better not be another cougar again like last month." Ed said. "Brother, I said I was sorry about that." Al pleaded. "Forget it Al, let's see what you have." Ed asked as Al unlocked his chest plate & showed his interior. Everyone was in shock as they saw the glowing red light emanating from within Al's armor. "Congratulations Edward, you & your brother, have found the Philosopher's Stone. With my help, of course." Lust proudly said a she folded her arms as Thunderwing walks over next to her. "Well, isn't this special... Good job." He said as he slapped her behind, causing her to stand at attention & blush.

"Okay Al, close it up." Thunderwing ordered. Al complied as Thunderwing walked to the sliding door & looked outside. "No point asking how it happened. What's done, is done... The problem now, is that the Decepticons & the other homunculi will do what it takes to get this..." He said as he folded his large arms. "How much info do you have about the Decepticons? And, what is Siege Mode?" Ed asked.

"The Decepticons are specialists in infiltration. They dig in & slowly destabilize the geopolitical infrastructure, fomenting global anarchy... Siege Mode is a protective military configuration, usually rooted during Phase Five... But this is way too soon. From Thunderwing's memories, this is not good." Thunderwing stated. "Is there a Phase Six?" Riza asked. "Trust me, you don't want to know." Thunderwing replied. "Is it really that bad?" Al asked. "Phase Six, they call in their "Exterminator" to burn what's left of the planet." Thunderwing said, knowing they would be shocked by the answered.

"I could make a preemptive strike against them, but that might result in a Quagmire." Thunderwing said before everyone heard a voice from Ed's watch. "Edward, it's Ratchet. Are you there?"

"Um, yeah... Hi."

"Good, the communicators are working properly... First off, I'd like to note, that this is far from a social call. We discovered there are two distinct command bunkers. One is in Dublith & the other is just North of Central. But it seems to be abandoned... It is curious for sure, but inconclusive. If I'm to convince Prime & the others of the immanency of the threat. I need more information."

"Okay, so why are you calling me?" Ed asked. "I need your help... To determine the threat. Will you help us again?" Ed looks around the room, searching for an opinion. He noticed Winry held a worried look & new she'd make herself sick if she knew it was going to be dangerous. He was about to answer when Mustang stood up from his chair. "I'll go... Besides, I might be able to buy you some more time, while you formulate a plan." He said.

Ed was surprised by his offer, but an extra day or two would be helpful. "Okay, watch yourself." Ed said as Mustang walked outside along with Hawkeye & saw Ratchet & Bumblebee standing in the driveway. "Isn't Edward coming?" Ratchet asked. "We'll be more then happy to help you with your task. Besides, we're heading back to Central anyway." Mustang said as Ratchet & Bumblebee transformed. As they were about to enter Ratchet's front seats, Lust walks out to join them. "I thought you were staying here?" Mustang said as he was about to enter the passenger seat. "I have my reasons..." Lust answered as she pushed Riza to the center seat. "Hey!"

"Move over, Blondy."

As the group leaves, Thunderwing opens the sliding door to the back porch & carefully walks outside, trying not to damage anything else on the house. He walks to the handrail & leans his arms against it. It gives way, causing him to fall foreword & land on his face. "Ouch." He said as he got up & realized what happened. He looks at the damage, begins to whistle as he turns & walks towards the stone wall. Yellow lightning cracks around his body as he returns to his original size. His engines start up as he transforms to his jet mode & flies away, heading West.

**North Sea, 100 miles Northwest of Central, Ark-19, 14:30.**  
"Optimus Prime, Thunderwing is on the move... He's heading towards our location." Prowl said as he stood in front of a large monitor. Prime walks over to see for himself. "He seems to be slowing down." Prime said. "Seems like he's stopping at the coastline." Prowl added as he & Prime watch Thunderwing transform & carefully land at the coastline next to some large rocks. "Hmm, I've never seen Thunderwing act like this... It would have to be the one controlling him that is keeping him in check." Prime said. "Thunderwing, to Optimus Prime..." Prime & Prowl stood in shock at the thundering voice that came through the comm. channel.

"I want to speak with you, alone. I have some information, you might like to know." Thunderwing said as Prime held a hand to his chin in curiosity. "You're not really thinking of going out there?" Prowl asked. "It may provide some insight as to who or what is controlling Thunderwing this time. The reward, may be worth the risk... Where's my gun?" Prime asked.

Thunderwing sat on a large rock, staring out at the open water. A pillar of green light appears about fifty yards from him to his right. When the light dies, Thunderwing sees Prime standing before him, holding his rifle. "Take it easy, Prime. I'm not here to start a fight." Thunderwing stated. "Sorry, but I have a bitter relationship with Thunderwing. As you may know by now." Prime added. "Yes, I have access to some of his memories... But this is far from why I am here." Thunderwing added. "I take it, that you have questions for me?" Prime asked. "Yes, why do you think the Decepticons are here?" Thunderwing asked.

"Most likely, the usual. Resources, extermination of life." Prime answered disdainfully. "Well, I think they're here for something else... Have you heard of a substance called Ore-13?" Thunderwing asked. "Ore-13?" "Ore-13, at least from what I know, is a highest energy enriched substance on th planet. Far more powerful than any other energy producing mineral that man can harness..." "I see... I'm sure the Decepticons know of this... This might answer a few questions about the Ultra-Energon we discovered."

"I do know a few things. There is a substance we call "Red Water". It's very powerful & unstable... Back in Laboratory five, it was used to help create partial Philosopher's Stones. But the Red Water was nothing more than a byproduct of Ore-13... Even though, bits of a true Philosopher's Stone helped to stabilize the Red Water, it was still a short lived process." "How is one of these, Philosopher's Stones made exactly?" "If you must know, it requires human sacrifice."

"Th-that is just madness... How can they destroy themselves in such a manor?" "Because, it is in their nature to destroy themselves... Makes you wonder who they remind you of..." "I suppose you're right... How did you manage to re-activate Thunderwing?" "It wasn't easy, he was running on fumes when I took him over... Then I took that Dark Matter Core & I felt a lot better... _Strange though, what little power Thunderwing had left, seemed to have stabilized after I gained control. I'll have study this sometime._"

"The next thing I want to ask, why did you bring Thunderwing back?" "Because, I have reason to believe that Bludgeon, isn't dead." "That's impossible. We saw him & you must have as well... Edward & his compatriots, saw him enter the pod & saw him transform into that mess we found." "All you found was a copy he made, if you have someone on your home world examine his chest, you'll find there is no Spark Housing." Thunderwing said as he stood up & began to walk away. He stopped & turned back to face Prime once again. "One more thing, what do you know about one who calls himself, Galvatron?" Thunderwing asked. "Galvatron? Sorry, I don't know what you mean... But I'll look into it." Prime answered.

"Very well. Also, look up, Jhiaxus... That name came up in Thunderwing's memories." Thunderwing said as he transformed & flew off to the East. Prime lowers his head knowing that all this is getting way too deep for his own liking.

**100 miles North of Central, 16:00.**  
Lust & Mustang kneel over a large ventilation grate & watch Lt. Hawkeye as she lowers herself down the shaft by a rope that was tied off to a neighboring tree. "Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Mustang asked. "Fine. Yeah. Dandy... I'm a little out of shape for this." Riza answered. "Lust, Col. Mustang, listen up. The first sign of trouble, above or below ground, the mission is over. Understood?"

"Yes, but-"

"Listen to Ratchet, you guys. The Command Bunker may well be abandoned, but the Decepticons are prone to booby-trap their cast offs. Pint-sized & organic you may be, but they may have set mousetraps!" Bumblebee said.

"Look, we know this "snap-happy" mystery man got in & out okay..." Mustang stated before he began to climb his way down. "Well, all before he was killed... Bottom line, if you want to find out why your enemies switched locations & broke protocol, we need to see the bigger picture." Lust added.

Down below, Riza lights a flare & drops it on the floor. She stood in "awe" of the size of the room. Three corridors connect to the room from the point they entered. Lust jumps down & lands gracefully on the floor below. Riza removes her military coat & leaves it near the end of the rope as Mustang puts his gloves on. "Okay, equipment check, flares." Mustang said.

"Check." Riza & Lust said.

"Scanners."

"Check."

"Comm. Watches."

"Check."

"Right, look, this place is probably huge. We'll cover a lot more ground if we split up... Well, stay in touch & good luck." Mustang said before they went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, Ratchet & Bumblebee remain topside in their vehicle forms. "I hate this, Bumblebee."

"I know Doc, but Prowl wants hard evidence, something that will warrant a whole Alert-status upgrade. Harsh as it sounds & balanced against what else we know could be happening right now, these three, ultimately are acceptable losses."

Down below, some time has past. Lust walks into a room with a tall metal tree like object with coffin like pods hanging from branches. "I found something." Lust said as she took the digital recorder & captured the entire tech-tree. "Can you describe it?" Mustang asked over the comm. "Well, it's a big tree. All metal. Trunk, branches... And coffin like containers hanging off of them." Lust answered. "Anything in them?" Mustang asked. "Not that I can see. But, I'd say they were used as storage... I found one that's closed. There might be something in it. Hold on..." Lust said as she felt around the side for a latch.

"Wait, Ratchet said not to touch anything." Mustang said. "The whole point of this is to find hard evidence as to why they moved..." Lust said as she found the latch to the lid. A freezing mist spills out of the container as the lid lifts up. When it clears, Lust was surprised by a corpse that was held down by a control arm that that was connected from the head of the coffin & rested on its chest. "Well, this is rather disturbing." Lust said quietly. "Lust, where are you? Are you alright?" Riza asked over the comm. "I'm fine. The both of you keep moving." Lust ordered.

**Topside**  
"Bored now..." Bumblebee said. "What's taking them so long? Isolated this area may be, but all of a sudden I'm feeling mighty exposed!... GO!" Ratchet shouted as a thunderous explosion occurs behind them. They quickly drive away from the blast as Blitzwing & Skywarp fly overhead. "What now?" Bumblebee asked. "We have to get them out. Much as it looks like they're responding to a tripped alarm, I don't think that's the case. We weren't the primary target of that strike, the base was! Mustang, Hawkeye, Lust, ABORT!" Ratchet shouted through the comm. "Say again?" Mustang asked. "Get out of there, NOW! Make for the exit point. All of you!." Ratchet exclaimed. "But-" "NOW!"

**Below**  
"Okay. Lieutenant, Lust. Did you get that?" Mustang asked. "Yes, Sir. I'm on my way. Lust?" Riza said as she ran down a hallway, leading back to the entrance point. "I found something I'm going to check it out. I'll only be a moment." Lust said as she came up to foot wide spacing between two walls with a dim light emanating from the other side. "Lust, the mission is over. We have to get out!" Riza shouted, but Lust only ignored her pleas.

**Topside  
**Bumblebee shoots wildly, hoping to connect with the elusive Skywarp as Ratchet looks to deal with Blitzwing. "Blitzwing, Blitzwing... What do I know about you? Triple-Changer, fast, durable, but just a touch on the paranoid side. I'd bet, right now, every sensor is at optimum sensitivity, eyes wide open..." Ratchet said as the gun from his fires a ball of bright energy that explodes into a blinding flash, causing Blitzwing to crash hard to the ground, destroying numerous trees in his path.

Ratchet quickly follows the path & comes up to a large cloud of dust. "Down. But out? I gotta be sure." Ratchet said as he transformed to his robot form. His right forearm opens to reveal a gun barrel. "This is the bit where I wish I had a really big gu-NUUUGH!" Ratchet's speech was cut short when a heavy blast of energy hit him square in the chest, forcing him to fall backwards to the ground hard & out like a light. As the dust clears, Blitzwing sits in his tank form with smoke flowing from his barrel. "Lock & load." Blitzwing said amusingly.

**Below**  
Lust walks out from between the two walls & looks up in surprisement & sees a large robot standing in front of a computer work station. His armor's color scheme was white & black, tank treads mounted to his upper back & lower legs, a large cannon mounted on his right arm & a purple badge printed on the center of his chest. He stares down at her with his glowing red eyes, but does nothing, focusing his attention back at the monitor in front of him.

Lust raises the camera like scanner in front of her & captures the machine's image. Suddenly, the ceiling begins to give way, he does very little still brush away the small debris from his shoulder. Lust a large boulder that almost landed on her, she decides to cut her losses & heads for the exit.

**Decepticon Command Bunker, Dibluth.  
**A large four-legged, drilling machine bores its way into the ground behind Astrotrain, who stood in front of a computer console. "Astrotrain, I'm waiting." Starscream bellowed. "Any moment now, Starscream. The first batch is refining as we speak... The last seam was nothing compared to this. The yield is up seven hundred percent & we've barely scratched the surface. All that remains is to metabolize the Ore-13 resin & power up." Astortrain answered. "Good, good... I'm ready for my medicine!" Starscream said as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

**Central  
**Ratchet & Bumblebee race to meet with the others at the exit point as the ground begins to crack & cave-in. "Its going!" Ratchet shouted. "And taking us with it!" Bumblebee added as the made a hard stop in front of Mustang who was helping Riza up. "Mustang, Hawkeye. Let's move out!" Ratchet said. "Lust is still down there! We should give her more time!" Riza shouted as numerous trees started to fall around them. "We're out of time. The command bunker superstructure has given way... This whole area is now one big, sucking pit. We can't stay any longer." Ratchet pleaded.

Suddenly, Lust jumps out of the hole & lands on Ratchet's roof, just a it was beginning to fill with dirt & debris. "Just relax, I'm here. Now lets leave." Lust said as she opened he back doors. "Everyone in! Hurry!" Ratchet shouted. "All I can say is, whatever we got in there, it better be worth all the grief." Riza said closing t back doors as Ratchet & Bumblebee quickly drove away & clearing the area.

A few moments later, as the dust begins to clear, Skywarp & Blitzwing hover over the now, newly made crater, where the bunker once was, before they leave. "Yes! Call me shallow, but that is just so satisfying. Right, Blitzwing?"

"Mm. Not too shabby. Let's call this in & go home Skywarp. I still say, this should have been our first port of call, not our last! What we did here, well, it deserves to be buried. I dunno we, stopped being Decepticons, I guess."

"Ahh, you worry too much. Starscream's right, the prize is worth the-Hey!"

Skywarp quickly turns around & looks at the crater again. "What?"

"Dunno. Thought I saw-" Skywarp was cut off when he saw a fist punch out of the ground, followed by the rest of the body with a furious scream. He stood there as Skywarp began to close-in. "Megatron! Look, we weren't-"

"Traitor." Megatron said in his gravelly voice as aimed his cannon & fired a blast of purple energy at Skywarp, punching through the underbelly & out the other side. He screams in pain before violently crashing to the ground.

Ratchet & Bumblebee stop & turn to face the commotion behind them. "Is that?" Bumblebee asked. "Oh, yeah." Ratchet answered. "MEGATRON!" They both said. "Who?" Lust asked. "Trust me, you're better off not knowing. Certainly no one we're in any hurry to engage." Ratchet said. "Thankfully, he seems to have more pressing matters to attend to!" Bumblebee added.

"Megatron, wait! Don't make me..." Blitzwing said as he transformed from his jet form to his tank form & faced down his leader. "Oh, well." he said as he fired a shot into the center of Megatron's chest. "How quickly they forget." Megatron said as he walked to Blitzwing. He takes another shot at Megatron's chest, but shows no sign of slowing his advance.

Out of the smoke, Megatron grabs blitzwing by the end of his gun barrel with his left hand, he picks him up & slams him hard onto his left side, causing pieces of tread & guide wheels to break loose. He picks him up again & slams him hard on his right side & causing more bits of tread, wheels & armor to break away. "And so, I must remind them... All of them."

"This is out of our league." Bumblebee stated. "Way out of our league." Ratchet added. "So... What do we do?" Bumblebee asked. "We alert the others. Even Prowl or Prime can't fail to classify this as a crisis situation. Bumblebee, you get rolling I think we can guess where Megatron's headed next. As for me, I'll analyze whatever data Lust & the others got from the bunker. We need to understand what's going on here, because right now, it doesn't seem to involve us at all!" Ratchet answered as they watch Megatron make his way out of the crater & stares out to the horizon. "Star... Scream..."


	4. Truth, Lies & Battle Lines

**Chapter 4: Truth, Lies & Battle lines.**

**Decepticon Command Bunker, Dublith, 17:30.  
**Runabout & Astrotrain stand in front of a large, diamond shaped, coffin like, container that had several hoses connected near the bottom. "How long's he been in?" Runabout asked. "A whole Mega-cycle! He's taking a full-on hit." Astrotrain replied. "He'll need it... Word is, the Big Meg's on Earth. Took out both Skywarp & Blitzwing. They're hurt. Hurt bad." Runabout said. "He's coming here?" Astrotrain asked as the coffin split in half, causing red smoke to nearly flood the room. "What d'you think?" Runabout asked. "I think... We're in way too deep. We-" "Stand & fight!" Starscream said, interrupting Astrotrain as he walked out of the the chamber, glowing with a red aura & red lightning cracking around his body.

"This was always anticipated. As soon as we broke his precious protocol, it was inevitable he'd come here to show us the "error" of our ways. Only now... we're ready for him. More than ready. No more artificial Energon derivatives, no more scrabbling for micro-ergs of some foul local brew. This... Is the real thing! Megatron... He's history. He just doesn't know it yet." Starscream preached.

**Central  
**A dirty, battered & beaten, Ratchet stops not far from Military Headquarters. "I apologize to have you walk the rest of the way." Ratchet said as Mustang & Hawkeye exited through the passenger side. Mustang walks around to let Lust out from the driver side, but she only raised her hand & gave a gesture of ''no''. "I take it, you're not coming with us, right?" Mustang asked. "Sorry, but your stop is not mine." Lust answered, giving a small smile. "Fine, but before you go. What really happened to Hughes?" Mustang asked, noticing Lust's reaction of minor shock. She looked forward & sighed lightly, knowing that this would've come up eventually, but decided to look defensive about it.

"Like any soldier, we have our orders... Was I involved? Yes... But I wasn't the one that killed him in the end." Lust answered disdainfully. "Why did he really have to die?" Mustang asked. "He figured out the truth about Douglas & who she was not suppose to be... That was Pride's mistake & he almost got caught for it." Lust answered sternly. "As of now, for your own sake, watch yourself... You're now a liability & you can be replaced with someone far more loyal." Lust added before driving off.

"Something you wish to talk about? Being a doctor of sorts, it makes me a good listener." Ratchet asked. "No, there's just something I need to do. That's all." Lust answered calmly. "Well, I want to thank you again for your help... We now better understand why things have gone so drastically wrong here." Ratchet said as they began to drive through the rundown end of the city. "Are you going to join your compatriots?" Lust asked. "No... I'm going to let the others handle it now. Trust me, they're better equipped." Ratchet replied.

**Outside Dublith.  
**Prowl, Ironhide, Jazz, Sunsteaker & Wheeljack race through the small city to catch up to Bumblebee, who was standing behind a patch of trees & shrubs. "Bumblebee, how's it looking there?" Prowl asked. "So far, so quiet, Prowl. No sign of Megatron. In fact... Nothing much going on at all! Most definitely, the calm before the storm!" Bumblebee said, staring at the immense complex, built into the mountain wall. "If Ratchet's right & the infiltration unit's tapped some new energy source & then figured to keep it for themselves, then Megatron's sure to be along anytime now, to put his house in order." Prowl said as the group drove past Izumi & Sig Curtis, who were walking along the side of the road. "Never seen vehicles like that before." Sig said. "And what's stranger, is I didn't see any drivers." Izumi added.

"What's our brief, Chief?" Jazz asked. "Containment, Jazz. That's it. We establish a perimeter & try & make sure this doesn't spread. The command bunker's in an isolated spot, but when this goes down, there's going to be fallout!" Prowl answered. Meanwhile, Bumblebee nervously peered from some bushes at a clearing in front of the base. "Whoa, hang on... I'm reading a build-up of charged Anti-protons. Aaand... Yep, we have ourselves an Orbital Bounce." A red beam of light appeared in the center of the clearing, revealing Megatron as the light diminishes as quickly as it appeared. "He's here." Bumblebee said nervously.

"STARSCREAM!"

A long platform with a disc at the end extended from the center of the tower. "Here we go... Runabout, Runamuck, Thundercracker & Astrotrain. The welcome wagon." Bumblebee said as the four stepped around the center of the disc. The claw-like locks that held the disc in place unclasped, allowing the disc to hover down to the ground below in front of Megatron. "Four against one. I almost feel sorry for them!" Bumblebee said as he saw the four draw their weapons. (Except for Thundercracker. His are attached to his arms.)

"You will stand down. If you fight, you die. There is no room anymore for mercy. In the end, you are all expendable... Choose." Megatron said sternly, looking down his subordinates. They all stood there wondering what the end result would be if they tried, but only lowered their weapons, fearing for their own lives. "Strutless cowards!" Starscream screamed as he flew out of the base in his jet form, his body still glowing bright red. "You have all drunk from the well of absolute power... And yet still you waver. Ultimately, Megatron is argonized steel & polymer sinew, just like us. He can be hurt... He can be killed." Starscream added as he launched two rockets at Megatron.

(Begin soundtrack: Drowning Pool - Step up.)

The rockets explode at Megatron's feet, sending those in front of him to fly back, but Megatron stood unphased by the attempt. Bumblebee was knocked down from the shock wave of the explosion. "Bumblebee? We're almost there. Hang on..." Prowl said over the comm. "I'm... Okay. I think... Listen, not that I don't appreciate some back- up an' all, but honestly I think we're bystanders at best, collateral damage at worst!" Bumblebee answered as he rubbed his head & watched Megatron fire his cannon at Starscream.

"I had thought we were better than this, that such power plays were a thing of the tumultuous past. We are Decepticons. The dominant, the unbowed, the bastion. That should be enough. I am disappointed." Megatron said as he continued to fire at the elusive Starscream. Suddenly, his last shot clips the back of his right wing. "AHK! Okay. Fine. Let's do this on your level!" Starscream shouted as he transformed & nosedived towards Megatron with his fist glowing bright red.

"IIINCOMIING!"

Starscream rams his fists into Megatron's chest, throwing him to the ground with near atomic force. He stands up & grabs Megatron's limp arm. "I looked up to you once, I did. And then I realized it wasn't respect, it was fear. You had the power. Well... Not anymore!" Starscream said as he threw Megatron into the base of the mountain, creating a indentation with his body. "Thanks to Ore-13, Megatron, I have evolved... Beyond you! I am the future. When you posted me to this backwater rock in space... You were sewing the seeds of your own destruction! Now reap the whirlwind!" He added before firing at his leader with a barrage of shots the drove Megatron deeper into the mountain.

Starscream stands there, exhausted & a feeling of pride & triumph coursing through his circuits. Smoke billows from his gun barrels. "That... Felt... GOOD. Really, I can't tell how long I've-" "Finished?" Megatron said, interrupting Starscream's speech. "What? No... NO..." "I have taken your measure, Starscream. And, not for the first time, found it wanting." Megatron said as he rose to his feet.

(End soundtrack)

"Uh-oh..." Astrotrain said nervously. "No prizes for guessing what comes next." Thundercracker added. "Hey! We got ourselves a spectator!" Runabout said, noticing Bumblebee hiding behind a stand of trees. "Sorry, Squirt... This is an internal matter!" He added as he drew his weapon & took some wild shots before being shot in the chest & knocked to the ground. The others turn & noticed Prowl & his team standing on a near-by cliffside. "Squirt he may be. But he's our squirt." Jazz said proudly. "Now, what say we all take our fingers off the trigger & just let those two sort out their differences." Prowl said.

They all turn their attentions back to Megatron as he walks closer to Starscream. "You... Should be dead. This... Isn't how it happens!" Starscream said nervously as he begins to slowly back away fearfully. "This command is a disgrace, Starscream, your security has been compromised by a human, no less. You failed to contain the data and-unforgivably-placed you own interests above those of the imperium. At least now..." Megatron puts a hand behind Starscream's head & rams his cannon barrel into his chest. "Take your punishment like a Decepticon!" He added before firing his cannon. The thunderous explosion of power effortlessly punches through Starscream's body.

Megatron lets Starscream's lifeless body fall to the ground, the hole made by the blast is seen ever more prevalent by the other Decepticons. "Take him inside. See to the remains. If he lives, then I'll decide what to do with him." He said as he looked at Runabout & Runamuck. "Wh-what about them?" Runamuck said nervously as he pointed to prowl & his team standing on the cliff side. "Phase... Two" Megatron said sternly, looking back at them.

**Underground City, 18:00.  
**Lust walks down the path next to the river that flows through the ruins leading to the city ahead. She stops & kneels down to scoop a handful of water & places it to her face in effort to clean herself before venturing further. She couldn't help but let out a heavy sob as everything over the past week had begun to take its tole on her. She has always been a mentally strong person, but even she had some limits. Giant robots from another world, the most powerful seemed to have been brought to earth by a cult of psychos hellbent on reviving their dead planet, cloned people running around the populace, Thunderwing returning under the control of some "other" homunculus?

She suddenly jumps to her feet & wipes her eyes as she hears footsteps behind her. She extends her blades, preparing for any confrontation she might find herself in when she sees Hohenheim step out from the shadows. "Hello, my dear." He said calmly. "How?... What?..." She said, still in some shock at seeing him as well as how he appeared. "Shadow gave me a lift before leaving to some place among the stars with the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime I believe his name was... He said it was a personal matter." He answered.

A short time had past as they started to walk through the main street that lead towards the main building at back of the city. "Why are you here?" Lust asked. "To stop Dante's game. Isn't that why you are here?" Hohenheim asked. "I'm looking for a traitor in my group." She answered before stopping in her tracks, forcing him to stop & look at her curiously. "I also want to ask you something... Did you know the first Lust?" She asked with a feeling of pain in her voice. "Somewhat... But, Shadow knew her best. In fact, you could say, they were rather close." He answered calmly.

Lust's eyes shot open & gasped slightly. "Is that what he meant when he said, I was just like the last one?" She added. "Perhaps. It just took you a little longer for your eyes to open." He said with a slight smile. "I didn't think such emotions were possible, at least until we were made into human beings... So, they were in love?" She asked calmly. "Yes... They secretly became engaged. But, some didn't find that flattering." He answered as she noticed a sense of disdain in his voice. "I take it, that she was killed?" She asked. "Yes... By the time Shadow got to her, it was too late. But, in her dying effort, she carved a name lightly on the floor... Envy." Lust's eyes widen as she stared in shock.

The idea of killing another without any regard has never bothered her, but to kill one of her own? Wait, the idea of wanting to strangle & kill Wrath, has come to her mind a few times. "It took a long time for him to get over that. Then he swore revenge." He added. "How odd, a soulless being declaring vengeance on another." She said folding her arms. "Don't think that... Just because you may think you don't have a soul, doesn't mean you don't have a mind & a life of your own. When I created Shadow long ago, I encouraged him to follow his own path & make a life for himself... So far he's done well for himself." He said before turning to walk away.

"One more thing... Can the Philosopher's Stone really make us into human beings?" Lust asked, forcing him to stop once more. "To tell you the truth, I honestly don't know... I will tell you this. If you want to be human, now is a good time to act like one... Also, the next time you see the boys, tell them I'm sorry." He said before he continued on. Lust stood there thinking about what he said. Her train of thought suddenly broke when she felt a feeling of being watched. She slowly looked around wondering if maybe it was Sloth or Envy watching her when she notices a pair of red eyes down a dark alleyway next to her.

They glowed brightly as a growling sound was heard. It was animalistic & yet metallic as well. Instinct was telling her to run & get as far away as possible. She quickly jumped to a rooftop across the street, but the creature did not follow. She decided to finish her own objective then get out quickly. She jumps from rooftop to rooftop looking a round their home & noticed Envy's bedroom window was open. She jumps through gracefully, lands in his dark room & fumbles around for the lamp. She turns the lamp on & is shocked at what she sees posted on the walls.

Her eyes takes in the sight of pictures of Ed being stabbed, shot & abused (in more ways than one) on the wall & the "Die Edward, Die!" banner above the bed. _"Oooookaaaaay, this is disturbing..."_ She thought before opening the nightstand drawer. She found a journal inside & began to read. _"Okay, Envy. Lets see what you're hiding... Killing Edward... Sodomizing Edward... Trying on Lust's underwear?! That son of a bitch... Had a dream... ...Oh, Jesus Christ!"_ Lust closes the book & puts in back in the drawer. She walks to the closet at the other side of the room, to see if there was anything inside. When she looks inside, all she finds is a dozen of his normal outfits & a life size doll of Ed in bondage attire. "Oh... Dear... God!" Lust said before shutting the door. "This is like a hermaphrodite's whore house..."

Lust turns the light out & was about to jump off the ledge when she suddenly lost her balance & began to fall. She braced herself for the impact just as a spider web formed below her, catching her instantly. "Thanks Spider-man!" Lust said gratefully. "Everybody gets one." He said before shooting a line of web from his hand & swinging away. Lust jumped down & walked in through the open front door. She quietly walked down the hallway toward the double doors that joined the main room. She noticed the double doors were damaged beyond help. She could here the conversation between Dante & Hohenheim as she peered around the corner.

"Ah, Lust... I see you've returned at last. Please, if you would be so kind, subdue our guest for me." Dante asked. Lust took her watch off & stuffed it down her dress before stepping out from around the corner & walked to Hohenheim's side & stood defiantly next to him. "I see, you decide to betray me?" Dante said disappointingly. "That's funny, I was about to say that about my former group..." Lust said, folding her arms as Wrath runs & stands next to his master. "After all we've been through, Wrath, I never thought of you being a brown-noser." Lust said sarcastically. "That's the new Wrath, a child?" Hohenheim asked. "Yes, darling little boy isn't he?" Lust said. "He looks like one of the Children of the Corn." He muttered, making Lust smile at the comment.

"So, Hohenheim... Do you have any of the back child support payments you owe me?" Dante asked. _"Child support?" _Lust thought as noticed a bead of sweat roll down the side of his cheek. "Dante, I'm here to put an end to this game & for you to stop using my sons as pawns. In exchange, I'll tell you why your body is rotting, much like mine." He said sternly. Lust looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant by that. "Rotting?" She asked. "Allow me to show you." He answered as he threw his hand & shot a sharp object to cut a piece of fabric from her dress to expose the decay on her hip. Lust & Wrath almost took a step back from the initial shock.

Dante puts a hand over the exposure. It was embarrassing & a bitter truth to what she had been doing all her life. "Oh, well. Care to help me enjoy this new body while it lasts?" Dante asked. "Actually, I already have a wife & doing it with you is the farthest thing from from my mind." Hohenheim answered disdainfully. "How funny... If my memory is correct, you use to say words of love to me & you couldn't get enough of it. Is that not true?" She asked. "Yes, it is." He answered. "Four hundred years ago, we finally achieved our goal. By using the lives of those who were sentence to hang during the witch hunts & those dying of the plague. By repeating our experiments relentlessly through countless failures, we finally grasped it. The Philosopher's Stone... But the demands of the transmutation took its toll on you. You were dying & by shear impulse, I attached your soul to the body of another man. And, it was then we discovered, eternal life." Dante calmly & proudly stated.

"So, using the Stone, you transplanted your souls again & again?" Lust asked quietly. "Yes, that's right." Dante answered. "Then why did you have us find someone, if you already had one?" Lust furiously asked. "After Hohenheim of Light left my side, I needed a new Stone & I did not know how to create one on my own. That's why." Dante answered sternly. "Tell me, why did you leave? Wasn't eternal life enough for you?" She asked, her heart wavering as she stared at her former lover. "Dante, there is no such thing as eternal life." He answered disdainfully.

**Decepticon Command Bunker, Dublith, 19:00.**  
Megatron stood in front of a holographic image of Earth as Astrotrain stood across from him. "So. Ore-13, tell me more." Megatron asked. "It's some kind of close relative to Energon, only five or six times as potent. Thus far, we've located eleven distinct seams, but there could be more." Astrotrain answered. "Little wonder Starscream saw fit to advance his own cause. Naturally occurring Energon was assumed to be unique to Cybertron. We've been living off artificial substitutes for longer than I care to remember... Still, one can't help but wonder if-at some point in the history of this rock-Evolution had a helping hand. Whatever the case, its presence here could be decisive... Astrotrain, I want a full tactical tour of the Infiltration Phase."

"At once, Lord Megatron."

"Where Starscream saw vainglorious self-advancement, I see total long-term victory. The staged process here must be advanced. Perhaps even, accelerated." Megatron stated.

**Ark-27, Muta-Gaath Nebula.  
**_"Despite vociferous, if duly respectful, protestations from Prowl, I took Ark-32 & set course for the Muta-Gaath Nebula. And, within its far from welcoming, gaseous volatility... Inside an artificial asteroid carefully screened from prying sensors, I seek an audience with Omega Supreme." _

The ship sits outside the immense complex with a pair of enormous doors that open to the main hall. Prime goes on ahead as Thunderwing tries to exit from cargo-hold. "Hang on, you're not going in without me." Thunderwing said as he started to walk up behind Prime. He turned & looked up at the towering monster. "I will warn you, Omega Supreme will not be comfortable with you here or I should say, the Thunderwing side of you." Prime noted. "I need to know the truth about who or what may be behind everything that's going on out there." Thunderwing said as they entered a large room & sitting in a large chair with dozens of hoses connected to & from the chair & to the large being that was sitting before them.

Meanwhile outside in space, a dark, football shaped ship with four crab-like legs protrude from around the ship, is on course towards the asteroid base. Inside, six robots stare at the asteroid that is hidden away in the nebula from a large round monitor that is surrounded by other smaller monitors. "Is it him?" "Only one way to find out." "Which is?" "Smash our way in & kill whoever & whatever we find inside!"

Back inside. "Speak..." Omega said in a low tone. "I barely know where to begin. I suppose I need to know the truth about the first Ark... And Nova Prime!" Prime said. "Why?" "Because... I think he's alive. But... Changed beyond all recognition. In Infraspace, in his presence, I felt utter dread. A sensation I reserve for the likes of Megatron or Thunderwing, not a guardian of the Matrix." Prime looked up at Thunderwing & held up a hand. "No offence." "None taken..." Thunderwing said in a calm thundering voice as he folded his large arms. Omega looked at him in curiosity, wondering what or who is controlling the monster that destroyed their home, what is the motive, does he seek the same answers?

(Author's note: "Infraspace" is the border between life & death in the TF universe.)

"You knew him, didn't you? Nova Prime. Could he have changed that much?" Prime asked before Omega looked down at him. "He & I... Disagreed." Omega said, causing Prime to look at him in shock. "On the evolutionary pace of the Cybertronian race. Where I championed restraint & isolation, a slow inner growth through intellectual contemplation, Nova wanted expansion, to push out to the distant stars & even influence the course of cosmic events... Nova was forever seeking, forever testing the limits of science & faith. He had a certain moral... Ambiguity when it came to the Cybertronian ideal. He believed that we were above other forms of life & that the universe should be molded somewhat in our image." Omega answered.

"The Ark... Wasn't about trade & exploration at all, was it? It was a part of this... Expansion." Prime said, his voice filled with disgust & anger. "I suspect as much, yes. As to whether he might still be alive... It is possible. The ultimate fate of the Ark & its crew has never been determined." Omega said calmly. "But-" Prime was interrupted by a thunderous banging on the large doors behind him. "What?-" Prime said before the large doors came crashing down in front of him. Standing before him was a multi-colored with burning red eyes, a helmeted skull-like face & four arms, one pair much smaller than the others. "GNRGHHH! Found you at last! Now you pay!' the creature shouted.

(Begin soundtrack: Slipknot - Psychosocial)

"What is it? What does it want?" Prime asked as he drew his rifle. "Not 'it'. They. And they want me." Omega said as he stood up, forcing the cables that were connected to him to pop off his body as he lowered his face mask. Omega attempted to fire a shot from his cannon, but the creature lunged at him, redirecting the blast & both crashing through the wall behind them. Prime & Thunderwing make their way through the debris & follow the battle ahead.

_"Questions... I have so many. But they will have to wait. This thing, whatever it-or they-is/are, has to be stopped. Something of a weapon of last resort, Omega Supreme wields energies beyond measure. But, against this creature, even unquantifiable isn't enough._

They see the creature standing over Omega. One hand around his neck, the other's claws dug into Omega's cannon arm & tore it off from the elbow. The creature throws Omega over his shoulder & violently down to the ground. Thunderwing rushes the monster & attempts to throw a punch, but the creature throws him into the side of a large shuttle craft. The creature grabs the shuttle by its nose before moving to its mid-section. "MONSTRUCTOR... CRUSH!" He screamed as he slammed the shuttle-nose first-down on Omega, driving him into the ground.

_"It will surely kill him... Unless I do something!" _

Leave... Him... BE!" Prime shouted as he fired at Monstructor, but the shot faded just inches from the main body. Monstructor drops the ship down on it's back in a flaming heap.

_"Nothing. Not even a flinch. The creature possesses some kind of energy-dampening field. So... I'll try a more indirect approach!"_

Prime aims a loading crane clamp & destroys all the support cables. Monstructor backhands the clamp as Prime watched it slam into the loading bay doors.

_"Clearly, something more drastic is called for. I just pray, I am not making matters worse!"_

Monstructor starts to pick apart at the remains of the shuttle as Prime takes aim at the doors. Thunderwing quickly sneaks up from behind, grabbing him by his neck & knocking him down hard to the ground. "Time for round two, bitch." He said as he cocked his free arm back. Suddenly, Monstructor grabbed Thunderwing by the throat & his free arm. It was a stalemate & Prime knew he may need Thunderwing to stop Nova Prime & help turn the war around. He fires at the doors, causing the room to catastrophically depressurize. They all float helplessly adrift. Omega ignites his rocket arm in hopes of catching Prime. _"I detect movement on the periphery of my field of vision & I understand that I have only bought us a scant respite. Omega Supreme takes us as far away as he can. But we both know it's not far enough." _Prime watches the monster return to its ship as he & Omega fly off to a nearby comet.

Omega lands on the surface, allowing Prime to jump clear before crashing face first onto the surface of the comet. "Omega!" Prime shouted as he stood & turned to face his fallen & badly damaged ally. "I... Function. Restorative sub-systems are stabilizing my condition. We... Must prepare. There isn't much time." Omega said, trying to prop himself. "First... Answers." Prime demanded

"L-later."

"NOW!"

"Very well. They... Are an experiment, six individuals who became one courtesy of Jhiaxus, Nova's Chief Theoretical Strategist. They... Are Bristleback, Icepick, Wildfly, Scowl, Birdbrain & Slog. They were supposed to represent the ultimate fusion of mind & body, creating a whole of vastly superior intellect & strength. Instead... They de-evolved into a monster." Omega said.

"When Nova Prime-and Jhiaxus-disappeared... I took it upon myself to consign their deviant creation to a dimensionally displaced prison... Where it would remain for the rest of its unnatural existence." Omega added. "You... You're no better than them! All of you... Playing God!" Prime said angrily, balling his fists. He suddenly took notice of Monstructor's ship fly overhead & saw the monster leap out & landed more than a hundred yards from them. "Prime, listen carefully... The creature has one weakness! A connective filament directly beneath the mid-torso armature. Striking it with enough force will send it into spasm."

"Wait! Monstructor, I entreat you to stop! A grievous wrong has been done to you & I will do everything in my power to help! We can-" Prime was interrupted when Monstructor grabbed him in his large hand & brought him close to his face. "Help us? If you want to help us... Die quickly." Monstructor said as he squeezed Prime's mid-section. Thunderwing suddenly sneaks up from behind, grabbing his left arm & binding it behind him before taking his other hand on Monstructor's neck & began to squeeze tightly. The pressure on Prime had lighten enough for him to seize an opportunity to end this. "At least... I tried!" He said, punching his fist into the monster's chest.

Red lightning explodes from the monsters chest. Monstructor drops Prime the ground as he shakes uncontrollably. Thunderwing picks the monster up by the neck & chokeslams him to the ground, forcing Monstructor to separate into its six counterparts. "One way or another... You will be helped. I swear it." Prime said as he looked over the lifeless beings.

(End soundtrack)

**Underground City, Central.  
**"How can my soul be rotting?" Dante asked. "Not even souls are invincible. Each time we leap to another body, we leave a little strength behind. Now our souls no longer have the strength to maintain a body, that's how we're going to die." Hohenheim said sadly. "No, I won't die. As long as I have this Stone, I'll just transfer to another body." She protested. "And then that body will go. And the next one after that, will go even faster." He added, but Dante only smiled. "Well, I'm sure you know that your sons, along with Lust's help, have created a new Philosopher's Stone." "I already know... And Shadow will make sure that you never get your hands on it."

"Shadow? That bastard-creation of yours is still roaming around?" She asked, frowning at this sudden turn in the conversation. "Trust me, he still hasn't forgotten or forgiven." Hohenheim said with a hint of anger. Dante smirked, knowing Sloth was coming down the stairs. When she came into sight, she held a small child, his eyes shot open as memories of the past hit him like a ton of bricks. _"They should've told me. Why didn't they tell me? No, I already knew. I just didn't want to believe." _He thought to himself. Dante claps her hands & creates a large stone hand, that grabs Lust & lifts her off the ground. Sloth quickly hands the baby to Dante before she wraps herself around Hohenheim like a python.

"My love, have you ever wondered what is on the other side of The Gate?" She asked as she walked towards him holding the baby in her arms. "My dearest, Hohenheim of Light... I'm going to show you what's on the other side of The Gate." She said before tossing the baby into the air & clapping her hands. A blinding flash of light gives way as Hohenheim stands before The Gate. He smiles calmly as the massive open & multiple cat-like, violet colored eyes appear. "Well Shadow, now I won't be around to prevent you from passing judgment. My boys are in your hands now." Hohenheim said before a swarm of thin, black arms engulfed him & brought him beyond the threshold of the doors as they closed.

After the doors shut, Wrath screams out of sheer panic. Remembering his own ordeal behind those doors. He rushes to Sloth & embraces her in panic, tears streaming down his face & shaking. "There, there, Wrath... Everything's fine now." Sloth said calmly, while holding him & stroking his head in comfort. "It's alright, Wrath. I promise that you won't have to go beyond that Gate anymore." Dante said calmly, holding the baby in her hands. "Now, what shall I do with you?" She pondered, looking up at Lust. "I'm willing to give you another chance, if you want to become human. If so, I want the three of you to retrieve the Stone for me." She added before clapping her hands again to let the stone hand loosen its grip around Lust.

"Can you give me a guarantee on the Stone's ability & yours?" Lust asked angrily. "Because, once I have the Stone in my possession, I will finally be able to turn you all into human beings. Of course, that all depends on your performance, now doesn't it?" Dante said before turning to clime the stairs up to the second floor. "Oh, one more thing... IF you encounter Shadow, eliminate him." She added. Lust looked down & held back a smile, knowing that would be far easier said than done. _"If they only knew... If provoked, he my very well dismember Wrath. Edward just might get his limbs back after all."_ She thought with a wicked & yet humorous tone.

Unbeknown to them, the whole event did not go unnoticed. Standing behind the doorway, a black panther-like creature with silver legs watches in careful detail, noting their conversation. Outside on a small ledge, just off the city's cavern wall, a eagle-like creature with red & black wings, sits patiently & watches out for any other activity that might occur outside the building. The electric eyes of Ravage & Laserbeak see all & know all.

**Comit surface, Muta-Gaath Nebula, 20:00.  
**Prime with several other Autobots watch Omega slowly rise to his feet with the help of four hovering, claw-like devices, that are locked to his shoulders & arms, while Jetfire & the Technobots stand gaurd at the large shuttle door as the watch the six transformers walk up the ramp to their holding area. "You're risking everything, Prime. If this Gestalt Technology falls into the hands of the Decepticons... We face Armageddon!" Omega pleaded. Prime turns his attention to Jetfire. "Jetfire, do what you can for them. But... Handle with extreme caution." Prime ordered.

_"The Prime lineage I so cherished... Has proven itself tarnished, corrupt. Those I strove to live up to have been torn from their pedestals. The visible scars will fade, but I know with dire certainty... Others never will."_


	5. Chaos

**Chapter 5: Chaos.**

**Decepticon Command Bunker, 6:00, two days later.  
**Megatron stands behind a podium in a small round room with his fellow officers. Each of them sitting quietly in a chairs, behind waist-high walls that ran through two levels of the room. "Thus far, your general performance has been underwhelming at best, borderline treasonous at worst. That is all going to change. I am willing to forgive & forget certain indiscretions, but there will be no further second chances... Is that plainly understood?"

Thundercracker: Uh-huh.  
Skywarp: Gotcha  
Astrotrain: Understood.  
Blitzwing: Ditto.  
Runamuck: Crystal.  
Runabout: Clear.

"Good." Megatron said as he slammed his fist onto the podium. "On a more positive note, Starscream-whatever his other agendas-has lain the necessary foundations with precision & flair. We can begin Phase Two immediately. Astrotrain, activate the Facsimiles." He ordered.

**Resembool, 11:30.**  
"You want what?" Winry said as she sat at the dining table, attempting to finish her breakfast while looking at the seven foot Thunderwing, who was standing at the opposite end with is arms & wings folded. "That's right... I want to see Edward's medical records." He said in a low, demanding tone. "Why? He's fine, isn't he?" She asked worriedly. "He's fine... I just want to know for future reference. In case something should happen while we're away." He answered calmly. "Well, maybe I should come with you guys." She added.

"Out of the question. Our mission may very well be too dangerous." He said sternly. Winry drops her fork on the plate before slamming her fists down on the table. "Then why? Why is everything he's involved in, has to be so Goddamn dangerous? It's not fair! He & Al put themselves in so much danger, just to find a way to get their bodies back to normal. Now that they found what they were looking for, they have to leave again & for what?" She shouted before letting a tear stream down her face.

"Sometimes, things don't always happen by accident... For an example, the death of their mother. Unfortunate & yet, all part of a very well laid-out plan. The war against the Ishbalans, the death of your parents. Even things on a cosmic scale... Everything has been for a lie or a greater scheme. The damage has been-and will be-extreme... At least with me around, their chances of survival-as well as many others-have increased from none to slim." He said as Pinako walked in. "Hey, do you have the money for all the stuff you broke around the house, you lazy bum?" She asked angrily, holding her pipe. "Uh... Yeah, let me write you a check." He answered as he reached behind to grab his checkbook.

Winry stands up from her chair & walks down into the basement. "Make the check for ten thousand dollars." Pinako stated. Thunderwing stops writing & looks at her with a spiteful stare. "What?" He asked. "You heard me... Besides, you still owe on your past debt." She answered. "Ten thousand dollars, I can't believe this..." Thunderwing muttered as he continued to write the check. As he finished & began to tear the check free, Winry walked into the room holding a large white file box & slammed it onto the table. "What's that?" He asked. "This is Edward's medical files, just for this year... There's five more in the basement." Winry answered, wiping her forehead.

He removed the lid to the box & pulls out a file that was almost as thick as a Detroit phone book. "Good thing I'm part machine now. I can speed-read through this stuff." He quickly thumbs his way through & within fifteen seconds, he was done with the contents of the first folder. "God, Edward. Are you careless, reckless or just stupid?" He said as he grabbed the second folder. As he peered through, he stopped halfway & looked curiously at a page slack-jawed. "Intensive Care admission for... Fractured Ass?" He said looking back at Winry & Pinako. The two burst into laughter at the medical report as he showed them. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know you can break that." He added before zipping through the rest of the file.

Edward walks down stairs, wearing his usual attire & his hair upbraided with Al following close behind as Sciezka got off the couch from a post breakfast nap. "What are you doing?" Ed asked as Thunderwing was grabbing another stuffed folder from the box. "Going through your files... By the way, how did you break your ass?" He asked. Ed panicked, how was he going to explain that one, especially since he couldn't remember the lie he used before. He decides to remain quiet & sat down at the table, hoping for a meal before the day's activities began. Thunderwing finished going through the forth & final folder & places them back into the box. "Amazing." He stated as he secured the lid back on. "Do you want the others?" Winry asked. "I think I've read enough... I'll be outside waiting for you." He answered as he grabbed an apple out of the basket on the table & took a bite as he walked out through the sliding door.

"So... What's this mission you guys going to do now?" Winry asked. "I'm not at liberty to say. We'll be leaving soon to take care of some business." Ed replied calmly. Deep down, he hated having to keep her in the dark, but it was for her own good. "Are you guys going to find another way to get your bodies back? Why don't you guys just do your research here?" Winry stated. "You're going to avenge Hughes' death, aren't you?" Sciezka asked. "I can't let it go... He died because he was trying to help us. He didn't deserve it... At all costs, this game using people's lives has to end, one way or another." Ed answered disdainfully & tightening his fists on the table.

He suddenly felt a slight tug on his hair. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed Winry was attempting to braid his hair. He felt like abjecting to spare her the trouble, but noticed a look of worry on her face & this seemed to give her some form of comfort. After a few minutes went by, Ed & Al walked out to see Thunderwing playing fetch with Den. "Are you two ready?" He asked. "Yeah, lets do this." Ed replied. Winry called Den over to ensure he wouldn't be harmed while Thunderwing increased his body to full-size once again. "You guys come home as soon as you're done. Okay..." Winry said trying to present a fake smile. "We will... Count on it." Ed said confidently, just before two yellow beams of light engulfed Ed & Al, then fading away with the two.

The enormous robot's engines fire up as it jumps & transforms in midair into it's jet form, then taking off to the daytime sky. Inside the cockpit, Ed sits in the front seat while his brother sat behind him. "So, where too?" Thunderwing asked as several lights blinked on the console in front of Ed. "Dublith... That's where we start to find some answers. Then go from there." Ed answered. "Okay, but we'll have to land outside the & walk the rest of the way in." Thunderwing stated monotonously, knowing Ed would question his decision. "Why outside the city, don't you have a stealth mode or something?" Ed asked, not liking the idea of being out in the open with the military after them.

"I don't know. Maybe seeing us fly overhead might freak them out, for one. And besides, I'm still trying to gain access to all of Thunderwing's abilities... It's not easy since his mind is still like jigsaw puzzle." He replied. "You've had this thing's body for three days & you still don't know everything?" Ed shouted. "Look 'Beany', If I knew how bad this thing's mind was, I would've picked another body to take. But I'm a sucker for a fixer-upper." Thunderwing answered. "Beany? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A BEAN SO SMALL, HE'S SMALLER THAN AN ANT, THAT CAN BE CRUSHED BY A PEA!" Ed screamed in a flailing fit of anger. "Hey, that's not what I said! So, stop twisting my words, Pee-wee!" Thunderwing replied angrily.

"PEE-WEE?" Ed shouted as he was about to smash his metal fist into the console when suddenly, his five-point harness unlocks & retracts into the seat. The large jet quickly rolls in mid-flight, causing Ed to crash "head first" onto the ceiling of the cockpit lid. The jet rolls back to normal & Ed crashes back to his seat upside-down. Ed slowly reposition himself in his seat, the look of pure anger on his face. "You crazy bastard! What the hell is wrong with you?" He shouted. Suddenly, the seatbelts reappeared & wrapped themselves around his arms, legs & mouth. "You need a time out, young man. And you really need to learn to respect your elders." Thunderwing stated. Al sat quietly & stared out to the now, cloudy sky & the ground below. Reflecting back on his past, wondering what it would've been like to have a normal life.

**Military HQ, Central, 12:30.  
**As the rain began to fall outside, Mustang sat at his desk with Armstrong standing across from him. "They want to send us to the North... Nothing like covering up an assassination with the chaos of war." Mustang said, leaning back in his chair. "To go to such lengths as to eliminate potential threats... Why don't they just do it here in Central?" Armstrong asked. "Because of what they did to Hughes-and how sloppy that was-they dare not try that a second time... And while I was in the meeting, I also brought up the idea that there was a witness to the murder... And that seemed to have stuck a nerve with the Fuhrer & he responded in a classic form. The innocent don't cover their tracks." Mustang answered.

"What about the alien robots, what if they start causing a ruckus?" Armstrong asked. "All we can do is, hope that we can deal with one thing at a time. I had the displeasure of meeting the leader of the other faction & he is no one we really want to pick a fight with just yet." Mustang answered.

**Decepticon Command Bunker, 15:30.  
**"Lord Megatron, Soundwave has just reported in. The human army of Amestris is planning a strike to the Northern area called, Drachma. Your orders, Sir." Runamuck asked standing before his leader with his twin, who's body has been converted to the "trademark, gun form" everyone knows & loves. "Well, considering that-in this region at least-the humans are in constant conflict & with any luck, may just finish what they were born to do... Since Skywarp & Thundercracker have their own objective to fulfill, see that your puppets dance to the tune they were taught. Do not improvise." Megatron ordered. "Yes, Megatron." Runabout said. "No, Megatron." Runamuck added.

"With Phase Two set in motion, I should simply withdraw & install a new unit commander. But? I suppose it wouldn't hurt to linger, if nothing else to try out this intriguing new Exo-structure. I wonder... Where shall I play?" Megatron said as he searched for a location on holographic globe of the world.

**Dublith.**  
Ed walks up a short stairwell to the roof of the hotel the three were staying at. He walks out holding two large pizzas & a paper bag . "Here you go T.W., I got your lunch." Ed said as he walked up to a twelve foot tall Thunderwing, who was sitting on the near an exhaust vent at the center of the building. "T.W.? Is that a new nickname you decided to give me?" Thunderwing asked with a tone of annoyance. "Well, since you're stuck in that form, or so you say, you might as well get use to the fact that some may call you by both names... Unless you want to be called, Shadow-wing?" He sat there, almost liking the sound of that but decided to file it away for another time.

"So why the pizzas? Something wrong with the chicken place?" Thunderwing asked. "It wasn't a chicken place... The place was called, Buckets O' Shit." Ed replied, handing him the pizzas & the brown bag. "The food isn't all that good, but at least you get a Coke." He added. "Well, then the pizzas were a good call... And you got me a six-pack & fun-bread too." Thunderwing said gratefully. "The beer came with the pizzas." Ed replied as he turned to leave. "Look after Al while I'm gone, okay?" Ed said before he started down the stairs. _"I better be ready. Knowing Ed, he'll want answers to the questions he's going to have."_He thought as rolled a piece of pizza into a "pig in a blanket" type roll & tossed it into his mouth.

After a short while, Al walked up the stairs to check on his "bodyguard". When he peeked out through the door, he noticed the light from the machine's eyes, mouth & engines were dim. Figuring he was asleep of sorts, he decided to take the opportunity to fulfill his own appointment. Al knows he may get in trouble for meeting with Tucker, who-oddly enough-was around the area, to discuss the use of the Philosopher's Stone & its potential.

A little over an hour later, Ed finally reached the former house that old lady Dante resided. He noticed his teacher picking the remaining herbs from the small patch that was left. "I didn't think you'd come. But, I'm glad you came." He said as he walked over to her. She rose off her knees & turned to face him. "To be honest, I've been wanting to come back here myself... Tell me, are the rumors true?" Izumi asked. "Depends on what you've heard." Ed answered nervously. "Well then, why did you ask me to come here?" She asked. "Well, the reason is not simple. In fact, you're not going to like what I'm going to ask... But I need to know, did you-by any chance-keep any of your baby's remains?" Ed asked, noticing that the question took her back. "You're going after them, aren't you?" She asked sternly. "Yes, I have to... The pain & suffering has to end somewhere. At any cost." Ed answered, clenching his fists.

**Drachma, 16:30.**  
On this seemingly quiet day, a man wearing a black winter coat & black hat, all that seem to match his beard color, rides across the snowy landscape on horseback. He stops several miles away from the great wall of Fort Briggs in a somewhat wooded area. He dismounts & walks over to his Decepticon leader. "Welcome, Commander... Your insignificant little war is about to escalate into a full-blown international incident. The world will soon be forever changed." Megatron stated, looking down at the lifeform.

Blitzwing, Skywarp, give me room. The Mass-displacement sequence is not without some... Fallout!" He said as yellow lightning cracks around him as his body shrinks & transforms to a .45 caliper handgun with a scope & silencer. "Though you are human in appearance alone, you have the unprecedented honor of wielding the galaxy's greatest living weapon... Gather the rest of your troops & let the slaughter begin. Skywarp, make yourself scarce. Blitzwing, engage Chameleon-mesh..." He ordered. Skywarp changes to his jet form as Blitzwing changes to his tank form & makes his body blend into the surrounding background, much like he did back in the desert. "Now, let us take our places, the show is about to begin." Megatron added with a sense of cynical humor.

**Briggs' North wall, 17:00.**  
On the edge of the North wall of the enormous complex, Mjr. Gen. Olivier Milla Armstrong sits quietly holding her sword & staring out across the snowy landscape, snow covered mountains & clear sunny day. To the average person, this would be a perfect afternoon to relax to, but she has always been far from average. She took notice of footsteps behind her & saw Mjr. Miles with Capt. Buccaneer walk up to her. "Anything?" She asked. "Nothing on the Drachmans. It's all quiet..." Miles answered. "I don't like it, it's been too quiet for too long." Buccaneer added, not knowing they wouldn't have to wait for a response.

A soldier runs to the higher ranked officers & stands at attention. "Pardon the interruption. Recon reports Drachman forces are on the way from the North. They're about five miles out with everything but the kitchen sink." He stated. "Why the hurry? Biggs is impenetrable, surely the Drachman army knows that." Buccaneer said as he looked through a pair of binoculars. "Well, arm the cannons. No point in giving a ten minute trial, might as well give them a five minute death." Olivier said as he rose to her feet.

Several moments later, the Drachman armada stands about a mile from giant wall. "Blitzwing, are you in position?" Megatron asked. "Yes, Lord Megatron. Just give the word." He answered. "Good, Soundwave said the humans new tanks are deep inside... So, we're going to get the 'flesh-bags' to drive them out." Megatron added. "Commander, you have the power... Show them Armageddon!" He shouted. "Comrades, for eternity Briggs has stood in the way of Drachma. But today, it shall fall at the hands of our new-found power." The Drachma Commander said as he drew Megatron from his holster. He takes aim & fires a thirty-five foot wide blast of energy at the lower-center base of the wall. Puching through with a thunderous explosion.

The explosion rocks the entire complex. Putting everyone into a state of shock, never imagining the impenetrable & unmovable wall can be overwhelmed by such an intense hit. Alarms sound off as thick black smoke billow out of the newly made hole from both sides of the wall. "What the hell was that?" Buccaneer asked. "Return fire! Get the new tanks out here, NOW!" Olivier ordered. Down below, people scrambled into the tanks & began to drive them to the elevators. While chaos ensued the base & as all the tanks have been sent outside, a blue cassette player sat on a small work bench down in the lower levels. It suddenly transforms into a large blue robot.

"Rumble, Frenzy, Slugfest, Overkill, eject. Operation: Destruction..." It said, pressing a button on his left shoulder. Rumble & his brother Frenzy grab the weapons from their backs & began to fire on those who were trying to escape, but with fires brewing at one end & killer robots at the other, they were trapped. The group of five humans looked frantically for another way out, but Overkill quickly caught up & took them by surprise. They tried to fight him anything they could find. Pipes, chains, wrenches, etc.

"Do you fight because you're afraid or because you want to die quicker?" He asked, overpowering them & quickly began to hack & slash at their bodies. Blood splashed onto the wall, floor & onto Overkill. He made a furious roar that echoed through the lower sections of Briggs. "Sounds like Overkill is overdoing it again." Frenzy said as he approached his twin, Rumble. "Yeah, hence his name." Rumble replied.

**Ark-19**  
"We got something." Prowl said as he stood in front of a large holographic monitor. "Where" Prime asked. "Here. At the border of Amestris & Drachma." Prowl replied, pointing to the location of a map on the monitor. "Anything about is say, Decepticon?" Prime asked. "Big time. This is the initial flash-point... It's from our own satellite surveillance system. Here, let me show you with a Resonance Overlay." Prowl answered, showing Prime an inferred of the thirty-five foot wide blast. "There. Recognize those Discharges?" He asked. "Megatron." Prime said disdainfully.

Prowl switchs to a color over-head image of the Drachman Commander, holding the pistol in hand. "We isolated this image. We don't know who he is, but we figure him to be a facsimile. And, as crazy as it sounds... We think this is Megatron." He said, pointing the pistol. "Mass-displacement. Haven't seen that in a long time. The energy expenditure must be colossal." Prime said as he folded his arms. "Ore-13?" Prowl asked. "Without a doubt. Action?" Prime asked. "Stamp out the flames, keep Megatron's attention on us & preserve/contain the Facsimile... At any cost!" Prowl answered. "Agreed. Ready your strike team." Prime added.

**Briggs**  
The new line of tanks take a side by side formation in front of the damaged wall. "All tanks, fire at will!" Olivier said, shouting through the megaphone. Four tanks took aim at the Drachman soldiers when suddenly, the fourth tank explodes into a fiery wreck. Miles quickly scours the area through the binoculars & notices another tank in the distance. "I think this is going to be a long day." He said before Olivier took the binoculars from him to see for herself.

A couple of miles out to the East, four green cylinders of light appear in a large clearing. As the light began to fade, four Autobots appeared on the snow landscape. "EHN... That Orbital Bounce always scrambles my circuits." Jazz said, wearily. "Enough chatter. We're visible. Transform..." Prowl ordered. They all complied & quickly changed to their respected vehicle forms.

"Prowl, take your team to the perimeter & await my signal. Once I draw Megatron out, move in & isolate the target." Prime ordered as his trailer suddenly appeared behind him & began to split open from end to end to reveal the sensor cannons & his six wheeled companion, Roller. "Any local traffic, immobilize but do not engage. We don't want to make matters worse." Prime added as he drove off. "You heard him, let's roll." Prowl ordered. "And remember, it's critical we take the Facsimile intact. His cellular template is the key to every other Facsimile currently in play on earth." Prime stated as everyone drove off in different directions.

Back at Briggs, as the tanks continue to fire at the Drachman army, people started to evacuate from the South side of the wall. Smoke billows from the large hole in the wall. Down below, Slugfest uses his sonic cannons to break large fuel lines to the furnaces & the pipes above. "Hey, Soundwave. The humans are running outside, should we send Overkill after them?" Frenzy asked. "Overkill, pursue the humans. Megatron wants no witnesses..." Soundwave ordered. Overkill complied & quickly began to follow.

Outside, people continued to flee in droves while the medical team tried to help those that were injured. The sounds of screaming & gun fire soon grabbed everyone's attention as Overkill jumps from the hole in the wall. "How would you lie to die? Slow & horrible, or slow & horrible?" He said wickedly. "I don't know, let me think..." A large green & gray Autobot with a cannon perched on his right shoulder said with a red & yellow Autobot standing beside him. Overkill looked turned to face the voice, but was suddenly blown back across the ground by a thunderous explosion. "Sorry, I kinda like living." He said with smoke coming from the tip of his cannon barrel.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry & get to safety." Hot Rod shouted at the humans before he & Hardhead started to scale East mountain the wall was embedded to. Meanwhile, the Drachman Commander continues to watch the battle & his men begin to die left & right. "Now what?" He asked the pistol in his hand. "We withdraw. You-having fulfilled your assigned role-will be decommissioned... Blitzwing... Blitzwing?" Megatron asked. "Boss, you won't believe this... But I've got Optimus Prime himself, bang in my sights. Should I take the shot?" "Has he seen you?" "Nope." "Make sure he doesn't & when he's in range... Take the shot!" With that, Blitzwing begins to cloak his tank form body. "Peachy. Time to optimum firing range, six Nano-kliks & counting." He stated.

"Skywarp..." Megatron called. "Here." He answered as he flew across the waters of the North Sea. "Where there's one Autobot, there's more than likely two. Or More. When they make their move... You make yours." "Gotcha." "Oh, and Skywarp... Bring Astrotrain with you."

"Prowl, sit-rep." Prime asked as he raced across the snowy landscape, moving closer toward the battle site. "We're in position Prime. No sign yet of Megatron or the Facsimile." Prowl answered as he Jazz & Wheeljack sat in vehicle mode in a wooded area, out of sight of the battle near by. "Stay alert. And remember... The Facsimile is your number one priority. Whatever happens, we need him. Intact..." Prime stated. "Understood. Watch yourself. You're pretty exposed out there." Prowl added.

(Author's note: Sit-rep = Situation Report.)

"Two, one... FI-YAAAH!" Blitzwing was suddenly interrupted by a horrific explosion that broadsided him. Leaving him in a flames & broken metal.

"Prime? You okay?" Prowl asked worriedly. "Fine... Remote Tactical had already confirmed Blitzwing's presence. The rest, I left to Roller." Prime answered. "Watchin' your own back, huh?" Prowl added in a cocky tone. "Exactly. Now assuming Megatron is still in the area, I'm hoping for a reaction." The Drachman Commander was riding his horse when he noticed the red semi approaching him at top speed. He pulls Megatron out of his gun holster. "Commander, target & terminate!" Megatron said. His shot was interrupted by a hail of energy rounds that explode around him & scaring the horse off.

"Oh, dear... Did we spoil your aim?" Jazz asked in a "wise-ass" manor. "Jazz, Wheeljack. Low yield bursts, widest possible spread pattern. At his current size, Megatron's at least somewhat vulnerable. Don't give him a moment to orientate himself." Prowl stated as he, Jazz & Wheeljack race down the hill they were perched upon. "Commander, begin self-decommissioning." Megatron ordered, lying in the snow, still in his gun form. "No you don't. Readying Nerve Paralysis Pulse." Prowl said just as a warp portal opened & a black fighter jet & a white space shuttle appeared just above them.

"Well, well! Couldn't have timed that any better. Astrotrain... Scorched Earth!" Skywarp said as they both began to fire upon the three vehicles below. Dammit! Evasive! Prime... Target is unsecured & Mobile. I repeat..." Prowl shouted as he & the others tried their best to dodge the Decepticon's attacks. "Wait, cease fire!" Olivier ordered as she looked through a pair of binoculars, seeing the action in the distance. "What is it, Boss?" Buccaneer asked. "The Drachmans have stopped their shelling & I see why. We are no longer the only combatants in the area." She replied. "I... Don't understand." He said. "Neither do I, Captain. But I have a bad feeling, we'll find out soon enough." She added disdainfully.

**Dublith, 17:45.**  
"I wasn't much help... I'm sorry." Izumi said as escorted Ed through the mansion door. "It's okay. I'd rather finish on my own anyway..." Ed said with an exhausted sigh. "Teacher... I'm sorry." Ed added with saddened tone. Izumi was taken back by his apology, but only looked at him seriously again. "You never really answered my question earlier, about the rumors... Tell me, are they true?" She asked as Sig took his place beside her. "Yeah... But there are good ones. Ones that want to help to protect us & their enemies want to destroy everything in their way... The last thing the good guys wanted, was to have us get involved in their crap." Ed answered before turning to walk down the path back to the city.

While walking down the path, he reached to his back pocket & pulled out a comic book. "General Adam West vs. The Mole People..." Ed's eyes suddenly fell half open with a dull look on his face. _"How can someone-who is not even Fuhrer or a named hero-get his own comic book? Especially someone as crazy as him?"_ He thought. _"I've got a bad feeling, that things are going to be rough. I hope Shadow will have Thunderwing's body figured out soon. I don't want to bother the Autobots for help when they already have their hands full."_

**Briggs.  
**Prowl makes a swift dash through the snowy landscape with Astrotrain flying straight for him in a deadly game of "Chicken". Astrotrain's cannon's fire at Prowl late as to the explosion that suddenly destroyed the front of his shuttle form. "Who?" Prowl asked. "Autobot Reserve Artillery reporting for duty!" Hardhead said proudly as he sat in his tank form at the South end of the wall. "Hardhead? But... Nevermind. I have a visual on the target. Intercept in nine, eight, seven..." Prowl was suddenly interrupted when Hot Rod came within inches of "tee-boning" him. Hot Rod transforms to his robot form, leaps over Prowl & falls face first into the snow.

Olivier looks at the scene of Hot Rod & Prowl before looking down to Hardhead, who sat quietly next to the Briggs tanks. "What's up, boss?" Buccaneer asked. "Looks like the rumors going around, hold truth behind them." She answered as another soldier quickly approached them. "Major General, we just lost communications. It's just dead air." He said. "How is the evacuation of the damaged area of the wall?" She asked. "Their still attending to the injured & the flames have been contained. But there are intruders down in the lower levels. We're having a hard time flushing them out." He answered. Olivier grabbed the megaphone & looked down towards Hardhead. "You, the one that looks like a tank. We have some intruders inside, care to lend a hand disposing them?" She asked.

"Prime, I'm being asked to help flush out some baddies from inside the complex. Your orders?" Hardhead asked. "Have Prowl send for Sunstreaker & Ironhide. There is no telling what may be down there & I'd rather you have some back-up." Prime stated as he sat in his vehical form. "Optimus Prime, this is Nightbeat." "Hmm? Go ahead." "I've been monitoring the flashpoint from orbit. All the local news feeds just went dead. as far as I can tell, no signal that isn't Cybertronian in origin is going in or out of the area."

"I think, Nightbeat. I know why." Prime said as, (at that moment) a blinding flash of light exploded in front of him. Megatron transforms to his robotic form & faces his arch-rival. "Optimus Prime. It's been a long time. Longer still since we met in actual combat. Right here, right now. Let's finish this! Once & for all." He said, pointing his cannon-arm at Prime's front end. Prime's rear wheels dig deeply into the snow as he began to quickly back away. Megatron fires at his reversing foe, but Prime dodges his attacks. "It's been far too long since I really cut loose! The only downside of a command-level existence. At least now, thanks to the wonder of Starscream's Ore-13, I can expend as much energy as I like on the demonstrative death of Optimus Prime!" Megatron stated proudly.

"It seems to me, Megatron, all that power's gone to your head!" Prime said as he transformed & grabbing his rifle that ejected from his upper back. "The Megatron I knew was measured, calm & controlled, not some raging braggart seemingly hell-bent on exposing our presence on this world! Still, having laid down the rules of engagement quite so emphatically, I feel compelled to respond in kind!" He added.

"Perhaps, Prime, this Megatron you claim you knew is the pretender & my true aspect is only now being revealed to you. As for witnesses, trust me... There will be none." Megatron shouted, forcing both Briggs & Drachman forces to look on in shock except for Mjr. Gen. Olivier Armstrong, who stood & gave a faint smile. _"A true commander... Never leaving any loose ends... Even though he wants to kill us, I could actually respect him as an enemy."_

A blast of energy from Megatron & connects with Prime, hitting him dead center of his chest, but not before putting up an arm in self-defense & taking aim with his rifle. "You always did know what to say to bring out the best in me." Prime said as he fires a shot into Megatron's telescope cannon, causing it to explode from the inside-out. Megatron takes hold of what is left of his shattered weapon, rips it from his arm & throws it to the ground behind him. "I need no weapons to kill you, Prime. Bare hands will suffice!" Megatron said. "Fine!" Prime said as he clasped his hands together & rushes towards his enemy, catching him off guard. He smashes his fists under Megatron's chin, knocking him of his feet & into the air before crashing down into the snow as Prime charges forward once more.

Meanwhile, Ironhide & Sunstreaker quickly run through the hole in the wall & make their way to the lower levels. "Hey, Soundwave!" Sunstreaker shouted after seeing the Decepticon down from the rafters. He & Ironhide open fire, forcing Soundwave to take refuge behind some large furnace pipes that lied on the ground. "Rumble, Frenzy, Slugfest. Attack..." He ordered. The battle quickly escalated as three Briggs' officers carrying rocket launchers take aim at the Deceticons below from the second level. "Hey, get out of here! It's too dangerous!" Ironhide shouted at the soldiers. "We're Briggs' soldiers. The roughest & toughest... And we don't take shit from anyone, including machines!" The soldier said as the three fired their respective shots. Scattering the three smaller Decepticons with the explosions.

Outside, Prime's now battered body slides on it's side, crashing through a small patch of trees. Megatron (who shows very little to no damage) begins to slowly follow his beaten adversary. A predator stalking it's prey. "Once, Prime, you & I were almost equals. I respected the sheer power at your disposal, your skills as a tactician & leader. But that was then, another time, another place. This is a whole new world!" He said as he brought his left arm & fist back & aimed to slam it into Prime who was just barely able to roll out of the way to avoid the contact. "The balance of power has shifted... Irrevocabl-" Megatron was suddenly cut-off as Prime tackled him & began to push him towards the side of a large mountain.

"As far as I can see, all this Ore-13 has done is loosen your vocal routers!" Prime stated. "You don't understand. Eventually you will weaken & fall. I can keep this up forever!" Megatron stated as he slammed his clasped hands into Prime's back in hopes of weakening his hold. "R-Really? We'll see." Prime said before he slammed Megatron's back in the mountainside. "Prime, you won't believe the things I can do now!" Megatron said said as he opened his mouth & fired a blast of pure energy in Prime's face. Prime stumbles back holding his face, coughing & unable to see his enemy, who was rising back to his feet. "You & I have a lot of history, Prime. So I'll do you the honor of making this quick... If excruciatingly painful!"

Megatron makes a flying lunge at Prime & slams his right fist into Prime's chest. Breaking the windshield & tearing through steel. Prime's body now shaking from the damage that has been inflicted, yet continues to stand. Megatron switches to his left arm & slams into the same point of his chest, breaking the armor on his back with the force of his fist. "I'm just going to take hold of your Spark Core..." He said as formed his right hand into a spear & slammed it deep into Prime's chest. "And squeeze!" Prime's eye's begin to flicker as his body suddenly goes limp.

The setting sun's light begins to fade across the battlefield & yet, now seems poetic to the seen of Megatron holding Prime's now lifeless body with a sadistic smile on his face. "This is how I like it. Despite the long-range weaponry at my disposal... I prefer things up close. They say the moment of another's passing hold the secrets of life itself! I-" Megatron was suddenly interrupted by an explosion hitting his upper back. He turns to see Prime's companion, Roller, trying it's best to avenge his fallen friend. "Ah. Yes. I was forgetting you two come as a pair. But all the drones in the world couldn't save you this time." He said as he lets Prime's body fall to the ground & slams his left fist onto the mountainside, sending an avalanche of rock & snow down onto Roller.

Megatron kneels down, staring at his lifeless rival. "Prime? Hn. Pity. Given all that Quasi-mystical nonsense you Primes routinely spout, I'd expected something more... Enlightening." He said in a disappointed tone.

**Dublith, 18:15.**

In the hotel room where Al & Ed were staying at, the brat known as Wrath, jumps on the bed like a trampoline. The other two homunculi stood & wonder, why the boys weren't in the room. Lust also wondered where was Thunderwing or Shadow or whatever he calls himself. This moment was really beginning to annoy her & with Wrath bouncing like an idiot, Sloth's laziness to detail, the boy's absents along with their "bodyguard". _"I need a smoke & maybe a drink after this..." _She thought as she walked over to the desk & noticed a short note sitting in plain sight.

"Find something?" Sloth asked as she walked over. "This note says, the one boy went to see Tucker." Lust replied. "Shou Tucker? I thought we heard the last of that Bigfoot wanna-be after what happened in Lior." Sloth added. "What does Tucker want Alphonse for?" Lust asked. "Isn't it obvious, he wants to complete that useless Chimera of his." Sloth said calmly. "His daughter, Nina... I almost forgot." Lust added as she folded her arms.

"Yes, Tucker learned a lot about how the use the Stone from Laboratory Five. Including what it's capable of." Sloth added. "Then, if he knows enough of it's potential. He must be able to teach Alphonse on how to use it." Lust commented, but quickly began to regret saying it out-loud. "Care to share what you're thinking now, Lust?" Sloth asked coldly as she stared at her, but Lust only gave a faint smile, in hopes of playing a mind game. "Wrath, dear. Take care of things while I'm gone." She said. Wrath stopped jumping on the bed, jumped off & ran to hug Sloth goodbye. "You're leaving?" He asked. "Just for a little while... Now you're in charge while I'm gone." Sloth said, stroking his head.

_"Oh God, this makes me want to puke." _Lust thought as Sloth walked out the door. Wrath turned & faced her, giving a wicked, toothy smile. "What are you smiling at, you little freak?" Lust asked angrily. "Nothing... I'm just going to enjoy making you night, rough." He said proudly. "Oh? Are you planning to rape me?" She asked disgustedly. "What? I wouldn't touch you. You're not that pretty." He said, folding his arms & looking away.

This was a true insult to her, but she only smiled & reached just behind her head, inside her hair & pulled out a small dart. "Wrath..." She called, grabbing his attention. "Why don't you have a nap." She added. "Why? I'm not tired." He said, just as Lust walked over to him & jabbed the dart into the back of his neck. "Hey! What... The..." Wrath suddenly fell to the floor, face first. Lust opens the closet door & drags Wrath's body inside. She shuts the door & walks over the bed. She sits down & reaches down the center of her dress & pulls out the Autobot watch & puts it back on her left wrist. "Finally... Peace... Now if someone would just hurry their ass back, we can get the show started."


	6. Part 1: A Battle's End

**Chapter 6, part 1: A Battle's End.**

**Drachma, 18:15.  
**A couple of miles from Prime's battle, Prowl & Hot Rod stood near the Briggs wall with the remaining tanks that guarded the hole in the North side as Hot Rod held their now captured Facsimile target in his arms. Suddenly Ironhide & Sunstreaker emerge from the hole dragging Soundwave, Rumble, Frenzy & the stegosaurus, Slugfest. "Looks like you two were busy." Prowl commented. "Yeah, had to take out the trash." Ironhide replied as he dropped Soundwave from his back & onto the ground. Prowl placed two fingers to the side of his head as to activate the comm. channel. "Prime. Target is contained & I think, the Geo-political crisis defused. Somewhat. We're done here... Prime?... Prime?"

Prowl looked over towards Hot Rod nervously, yet curiously wondering why there was no answer. "Maybe his hands are full?" Hot Rod suggested. "Prime's been in more than enough fights where he can't take a breather & still find time to answer a simple call." Prowl spatted. The sudden silence was broken as Megatron's voice can be heard over the channel. "Hear me Autobots, Optimus Prime is dead! The final victory in this long & bitter struggle... Belongs to Megatron! Kneel before me or share his fate." He shouted, placing a foot on Prime's chest.

"It can't be." Hardhead said as he stood in complete shock. "See for yourself. Prime's down & out!" Jazz added. "Then... We're too late!" Wheeljack said in the same state of shock as the others. "To save him, perhaps. But not too late to avenge him!" Hardhead said angrily as he transformed to his tank form "Kneel my ass!" He said as he fired a blast of energy that struck Megatron dead center in the chest, followed by a thunderous explosion.

The smoke clears as they see Megatron still standing tall, smiling at the futile attempt. "You know... I almost felt that." He said almost laughing. "Hardhead, Jazz, take him down!" Wheeljack ordered. They drew their weapons & began to open fire, but Megatron just stands & begins to laugh at their attempts. "How? I wouldn't have exactly rated our chances before, Wheeljack, but now it's like our best doesn't even pass muster!" Jazz stated.

Back at Briggs, Prowl listens to the action over the comm. channel. "Dammit. Megatron's powered up on Ore-13. He'll take them apart!" He said in a disdained tone. "So what are we waiting for? C'mon, Prowl. Let's roll!" Hot Rod said, still holding the Facsimile in his arms, which seemed to be calm & non-talkative. "Uh-uh. You stay. Signal Nightbeat & have him prep the Orbital Jump." Prowl stated, placing a hand on Hot Rod's shoulder.

"What? No... No way! I'm needed here!" Hot Rod protested. "What's needed is that Facsimile's genetic Template. Otherwise, all we've fought for here, everything we've maybe lost, will have been for nothing." "But-" "But nothing. You got him, you stow him. I may not outrank you, Hot Rod, but this is my turf, my command & I'm ordering you to go!" After Prowl's bold statement, he turns his attention to Ironhide & Sunstreaker. "You guys, help the humans tie-off any lose ends around here. I'm going to help out... What I wouldn't give to have 'The Wreakers' here right about now." Prowl said before transforming & driving off to the battle ahead. "Jazz, Wheeljack, I'm inbound! And Prime. don't be dead. Just don't be dead!"

(Begin soundtrack: Fear Factory - Default Judgement)

Megatron continues his march forward as the three Autobots try to slow him down. But the situation is starting to look like "Them versus Thunderwing". "All of you, back off. Now!" Prowl ordered as a pair of guns emerged from behind his headlights. "Seems Megatron's got no real long-range weaponry at his disposal & no way to access his alt-mode without someone to hold & aim him. So, we keep falling back. When we've got some distance, we attack again. Now move!" Prowl said as Jazz & Wheeljack transformed & gladly obeyed & drove away. "You too, Hardhead." Prowl said. "Yeh, yeh." Hardhead replied as he slowly followed behind while still firing at Megatron in hopes of slowing him down.

Prowl quickly turns around to follow as Megatron fires a blast of energy from his mouth, almost striking Prowl as he swerved to avoid contact. "Prowl, it's Prime." "Prime? But I thought-"

"That I was dead? It was very, very close. Thankfully, Roller gave me the precious moments I needed to dump my higher functions into the trailer's Ancilliary Systems, thereby convincing Megatron I'd expired... Now, listen... If Ore-13 is the same as the Ultra-energon that we encountered, then it has a built-in weakness... One that Megatron knows nothing about. You have to keep at him. Don't let up for a moment!"

"And if Starscream & his infiltration unit ironed out that little quirk?" Prowl asked as he jumped a ledge to a snow mound that the others were sitting, still in vehicle mode with their respected weapons drawn. "Then... We're all as good as dead." Prime answered.

Meanwhile, Hot Rod walked over to a clearing with his Facsimile captive, still in his arms while speaking to Nightbeat over the comm. "You? Leave a hot combat zone? That'll be one for the datatracks!" Nightbeat said humorously. "Look, Nightbeat, don't bend my fender! Just bounce me to Ark-19 & be ready to bounce me back here as soon as I drop the package off." Hot Rod replied. "A double Orbital Bounce? You sure?" Nightbeat asked. "I'm sure. I may be a little, ah, scrambled, but I've survived worse. Now engage the sequence, before-oh shit!" Hot Rod said as he noticed a portal appear behind him. Skywarp & Thundercracker quickly emerge & take notice of Hot Rod. "There's one. Kill it!" Skywarp shouted before they began to open fire.

Back at the other battleground, Prowl & his team unload everything they have in their arsenal, but to little avail as Megatron continued to advance forward with their shots bouncing off of his body. "Prime, we're just not stopping him. In fact, he's not showing any adverse reaction to the Ore-13." Prowl said nervously. "Hold position Prowl... I'm back in play." Prime said as he emerged from the smoke behind Megatron. "Megatron..." The familiar voice called out, grabbing his attention. He turned only to face a gun barrel & noticed the individual holding it. "BURN!" The thunderous blast knock Megatron off his feet & left him smoldering on the ground.

Meanwhile, Hod Rod continues to take a massive beating as he tries to shield the Facsimile from Skywarp & Thundercracker's attacks while chunks of his armor are shot & blown off from his frame. "Nightbeat, just get me out of here! NOW!" A green pillar of light surrounds Hot Rod before fading away from sight with Hot Rod & the Facsimile.

Megatron begins to slowly sit-up, smoke still steaming off his frame. "Not... Enough..." He said as he stood up. "I-HNRGH!" He suddenly fell to his knees, feeling weak. "FNEH! What... Is... Happening to me?" Megatron asked fearfully. "Unfortunately, Megatron, the power you have harvested comes at a price!" Prime stated as he struggled to stay on his own feet. "Autobots, finish him." He ordered. They gladly complied as they readied their weapons.

"Ska-Skywarp! Get me out of here!" "You got it, Boss. Too bad though, I was hoping for a headcount!" Skywarp said as he quickly flew over the Autobot vehicals as Megatron changed back to his gun-mode & lands inside Skywarp's cockpit. He opens a portal as Thundercracker follows behind. "Well... There always next time!" Thundercracker said as he & Skywarp disappeared into the portal just before the Autobots started to take pop-shots at them in hopes of hitting them.

(End soundtrack)

Prowl transforms & catches Prime just as he's about to succumb to his injuries. "Prime! Are you-?" "Megatron, nearly crushed my Spark Casing. I'm going to need some C.R. Time. What about the Facsimile?" Prime asked as Prowl placed a couple of fingers to the side of his head. "Hot Rod's got him. Hot Rod?" "Prowl, this is Nightbeat."

**Ark-32, Earth's orbit.  
**"Nightbeat? Where's Hot Rod?" Prowl asked over the comm. as Nightbeat stood in front of a small control console. "In a C.R. Chamber. He sustained some pretty severe damage courtesy of Skywarp & Thundercracker." He answered. "And the Facsimile?" Prowl asked. "Caught some flak. I'm sorry... He's gone." He answered disappointingly as he looked down at the small pile of clothing sitting in a puddle of green goo.

(A/N: C.R. - Cryogenic Regeneration.)

**Dublith, 18:45.  
**Ed walks down the hallway of the hotel building as he began to finish his slurpy. He stopped at the stairway that lead to the roof & wondered if he should check on him or his brother. He continued to his room & decided to check on his brother first. "Al?" he called as he opened the door, only to find Lust sitting at the edge of the bed. "What are you doing here? Where's Al?" He asked. "Well, that's a nice, hello." She said as she stood up & showed him the note. "Here, you're going to be pissed about this." She sighed. "Brother, I went to see Tucker... Shit!" He exclaimed as he walked to the closet to get his red overcoat.

"Ed, careful. I put-" Ed opened the door, grabbed his coat that was hanging off the inside of the door before slamming it shut. As he was halfway of putting his coat on, he realizes there was something out of place. He opens the door again & noticed Wrath, sleep quietly with the front of his shirt covered in drool. He closes the door once again before looking back at her.

"Care to explain, why Wrath's in there? Drowning in spit." He asked while Lust just stood there with her hands clasped behind her, trying to look Innocent. "Well, we had a disagreement of opinion... So, I juiced him up with enough tranquilizer to bring down a full grown bull-elephant." She answered, with a happy tone. "Okay... Well, let's go get T.W... He's on the roof." Ed said as he walked out the door. "The roof?" She asked as she closed the door behind her. "Yeah... He couldn't squeeze his fat ass in here so we left him up there." He replied.

When there reached to roof, Ed noticed a trail of almost two hundred beer bottles. "Oh, for Christ's sake!" He said as he marched over to where Thunderwing was lying face down. "Hey, idiot! Wake up!" Ed shouted as he kicked him in the head with his left foot. The burning light suddenly returns to his eyes & mouth as he began rise to his feet. "Hey, you're back... What'd I miss?" He asked in a booming voice. "Plenty... But first, have you been drinking for almost the past four hours?" Ed demanded. "No I haven't... I just got really thirsty, 'cause I've drinkin' while you were gone." He answered calmly.

"Okay, second... Did you know Al snuck out while you were up here? Did you even bother to check on him?" Ed asked angrily. "Really? I caught him twice before. I guess third time is the charm." He answered. Ed felt like wanting to shoot himself at this point. "Alright, explain this note from my father to Dante." Ed said as the twelve foot tall machine took the note & began to read its contents. Lust started to panic. Wondering how much he knows. Also, asking him to make her human, may have now gone from slim to hopeless. "Yeah, this is your old man's hand writing... He must've been hammered when he wrote this." He replied. Ed quickly turned his attention to Lust, who tried her best to look dumb & Innocent of everything, but noticed it wasn't working & saw him become more agitated.

"Tell you what, we'll finish this once we find Al..." Ed said before attempting to make his way back to the door, but suddenly felt the caller of his coat being grabbed & was grabbed by the waist by Thunderwing's other arm. "C'mer, honey." He said as he grabbed Lust by the waist & held them both under his arms. He suddenly jumped from the roof & onto the ground below, cracking the sidewalk after landing. "Where too?" He asked as he let his passengers go. "There's an old factory not far from, Tucker use to work at before he became a State Alchemist. I assume Al went there." Lust answered. "Tucker, Shou Tucker? That fruit loop." Thunderwing asked as Ed & Lust took off running & started to follow behind.

**Old Factory, 19:15.  
**"I'm in position... I'm just waiting for the others to show." Envy said as he secured the microphone's ear-piece to his right ear while he hid in a dark corner near the entrance to the basement of the old factory. "Excellent." Bludgeon said. "You realize, the firepower you gave me won't do much to stop Thunderwing? Especially since that bastard creation of my father's is pulling the strings." Envy said disdainfully. "Trust me, they are only a cover so that you can escape with the target... Besides, it never hurts to have an extra insurance policy." Bludgeon added calmly.

Outside, Ed & the others walk along the dirt path to the factory. A sense of "uneasiness" overwhelms them. Thunderwing slowly scans the area like a motion camera & couldn't detect anything. "I don't see anything, but I've got some weird vibes from this whole scene." Ed said quietly. "Lets keep moving & get this over with." Thunderwing said as he started forward. "Hold on a sec. We really need a plan." Ed said as he folded his arms. "Okay, how about this? I walk in, kill whoever or whatever gets in my way, grab Al & walk out." Thunderwing replied sarcastically. "Personally, that's not bad. But, Sloth is going to be very difficult to kill." Lust added.

"Tell us, Big Guy. Is there anything else you can do, besides your current arsenal?" Ed asked. "No. My homunculan powers are gone... I lost them when I took Thunderwing. And if you're wondering whether or not if I can do alchemy, the answer to that is also, no." He replied, yet wondering why this conversation was going down this road. "Huh... Tell us, was body possession one of your powers in the past?" Ed asked, making Lust begin the wonder what motivated him to ask such questions. Thunderwing hesitated to answer, wondering if Ed figured out how he really took Thunderwing. But, the fact that, Ed may have tricked him into the "Q & A" session only fueled his curiosity. "No... Possession was not one of my traits." He answered, folding his arms.

"Okay... Lust, a homunculus cannot preform alchemy on their own, correct?" Ed asked. Lust looked at him with a seductive smirk, knowing full well what his game is. "Yes, that's true. With the exception of Wrath, of course."

"Then that means, that my little theory about how, Shadow became Thunderwing, might have some foundation." Ed said as he gave a cocky smirk.

"You lost your powers from before. That is equivalency. To gain something, you must lose something in return. Power for power... But, seeing all the bullet holes have sealed up from when Prime, 'unloaded himself'. It makes me think, you haven't lost your regeneration abilities. However, seeing that you now have a much more resistant body, your regeneration would have to be compromised... In a way, it's just like Greed's, Ultimate Shield... Again, equivalency... Now, since you can't do alchemy. It makes me think you had, 'outside help'... But, since you never could do 'possessions', you would've needed something to bridge that little gap." Lust stood there, actually impressed by Ed's elaborate scenario.

Thunderwing unfolded his arms, grinned slightly & started to clap his hands in applause. "Bravo, Edward... Bravo... That was quite the tale... And as far as the bridge goes, that I''ll explain later." He said as he turned to walk into the factory. "It was a Philosopher's Stone, wasn't it?" Lust asked, causing the giant to stop in it's tracks also causing Ed to look at her in shock. "Or maybe I should say, what may have been left of the first Stone." She added as Thunderwing turned to face them again. "It's true, I won't deny it... His old man, gave me what was left of his & it gave me a few good uses." He answered before continuing to the factory entrance. "Hey, I want answers!" Ed shouted angrily. "Later... let's get your brother, first. We've wasted enough time." Thunderwing added as he opened the large doors.

They walked inside & Ed couldn't help but sigh to himself when he noticed that what was manufactured, were rifles & other weapons. "Great, hiding in a gun factory..." He said as he grabbed a couple of ammo cartridges from an open crate. "Lust, could you make a the same transmutation circle, like the one back at Dante's house?" Ed asked. She nods & starts to slash away at the cement floor. "When you're done, make sure you hide out of sight." Ed said as he started to make his way the basement door. He really did not like the idea of having to walk down when he knows they'll be coming back up. No sense in walking into a trap, when you're setting one yourself.

He didn't have to wait long as he saw the door to the lower level open & Sloth walk out with his brother in tow. "Figures... Just step away from him, right now." Ed said angrily. "Brother, you don't understand-" "Yeah, she got to me too. But she's not our mom. She just happens to look like her, that's all." "I know what she is, but-" "She's just using our memories to manipulate us. That thing doesn't have a soul." Ed finished.

"You weren't always so cruel. Edward, dear." Sloth said sadly, but Ed only continued to show no intimidation or fear. "Al, please... You must let me try again." Tucker said as he step out from behind the basement door. "Tucker? You freak, you could've killed Al by having him come here alone!" Ed's speech was cut upon the sight of the hole on the side of Al's armor. "The Stone does have equivalency, Brother. And this is what it took from me." Al said disappointingly. "So, Tucker, suckered you into coming here & he did this? Why are there so many dumb shits, who's asses I have to kick... I'm gonna have to start carrying a list to keep track now!" Ed shouted, balling his fists in anger.

"Ya know, screw it... C'mon, Al. Lets go before they have the chance to use you again." He ordered. "That won't be necessary." Sloth said calmly. "And why is that? Are you going to help me get his body back or are you going to take him back to, The Bitch & use him until there's nothing left?" Ed asked, but noticed Sloth only smiled without a care. "Ah, fuck it!" Ed said as he clapped his hands & changed his right hand into a machine-gun, using the ammo clips for extra materials. "Al, move your ass!" He shouted, before he opened fire. Tucker ran back to the basement as pieces of Sloth in her water-form broke away. Al quickly steps in front of him in hopes of reasoning & to get him to stop shooting.

"Al, get the hell out of the way!" "Brother, please..." "Edward, that hurt." Sloth said, trying to sound as though she were in pain. "Yeah... Well, I know it takes more than that to kill you!" He said before he turned to run back to the others with Sloth in pursuit. She changed her arms into as pair of tentacles & quickly ended the chase by wrapping them around his upper body. "Your mother was talking to you, Edward." She said with a slight smile. He turned & grinned, making Sloth realize that she may have been set-up. "What is this?" She asked in a demanding tone.

Ed was about to answer when he saw Envy standing behind Al. "Shit! Al, behind you!" Al turned to look over his shoulder, but Envy grabbed him by his arm & took him down. "Too easy." He muttered was a smirk. Lust steps out from a dark corridor that was next to Ed & Thunderwing followed closely behind. A ball of energy built up in each of his hands, one pointed at Sloth, the other at Envy, who was using Al as a shield. "Don't, you'll hit Al." Ed pleaded. "Wouldn't you rather have him die for the greater good?" Thunderwing asked as he watched both targets. "Hell, no! Not when we're so close to making things right." He replied angrily.

Sloth released Ed & turned her attention to Envy. "Envy, what's the meaning of this? Did our Master send you here, why aren't you up North?" She asked sternly. "I follow nobody's orders, but my own." He said with a cocky smirk. This whole scene wasn't making any sense. What the hell is going on? They didn't have to wait long to find out.

Envy reached behind himself & grabbed a small disc-like object. "Here, I'll let him explain it." He said as he tossed the disc in front of them. A green, six foot tall, full-body image of Bludgeon stood before them. "Greetings, Edward..." "Bludgeon." Ed & Lust muttered in unison. "My original offer still stands. Even though, your brother is now the Stone." He stated. Ed just snarled at him. "Take your offer & shove it!" He replied sternly.

The ball of energy died in Thunderwing's left hand as Bludgeon turned his attention toward him. "Well, Thunderwing, or whoever/whatever may be the conscious mind at work. You will be pleased in knowing, that where your experiments failed. Mine have become successful. This will be the day, we rise to your level. We shall become, Gods! And-in some ways-it's all thanks to your former comrade, Gluttony." "You, bastard..." Lust said, her fists shaking in pure anger. "We will ascend, evolve & adapt. We will survive what is yet to come." Bludgeon said as the sound of foot steps can be heard outside. "The end, is near." He added just before his image disappeared.

The wall behind Envy is suddenly torn away by a large purple & silver transformer. It was jet-like with three round bombs in it's air-intakes that are mounted on its shoulders. A pair of cannons mounted on its arms. Wings & jet packs on its back, everything packaged together on a somewhat bulky frame. Thunderwing kills the other ball of energy he had in his free hand & looked towards Ed & the others as Envy jumps onto the machines shoulder while it puts Al inside its cockpit.

"All of you, get the hell out. Now!" Ed at this was really in no mood to argue & gladly complied. As they approached the front doors, Wrath sudden ran out into their path in hopes of stopping them, but only to have them run past him without thinking twice as black & yellow lightning cracked along the metal walls. Wrath quickly got the idea & began to follow closely behind. The factory explodes open, also damaging the building next door.

Thunderwing now stands at full size, towering over the drone that Envy was perched upon. "Envy, I've waited a long time for this moment & I'm going to live up to the promise that I made, so many years ago." He stated. "Sorry, Shady... But if you want me, you'll have to go through them first." Envy added pointing to the small, thirty-strong army of drones behind him. "Another little something my boss dug-up... Aerospace Extermination Squadron... Terminate this over-sized freak!"

Their yellow eyes focused on the monster in front of them as they raised their weapons. The drone Envy sat on, activates what appear to be rocket packs on it's back. They ignite with a loud crack, breaking the ground underneath as it took off to the night sky. Thunderwing thought of pursuing, but knowing he would be leaving Dublith, Ed & the others in a hopeless fight. _"Time to see if I got this things body figured out."_ He thought as black lightning cracked violently around his body & into the air.

"WARNING: Target is producing Ionic Radiation. Activate secondary suppression systems. Begin counter measures." They seemed to agree in unison as Thunderwing throws his arms out & surrounds himself with a bright, bluish/white dome of energy explodes around him. He lets out a thunderous roar as the ground shatters like glass. He begins charging forward as they began to open fire, in hopes of suppressing him, but to little avail.

Ed & the others stopped in a alleyway to catch their breath as people began to flee from their homes while explosions rock the area. Ed's anger & frustration finally reached the breaking point as he started to punch the building's brick wall with his right hand, over & over. He was able to knock a couple of bricks out of the wall, but at the cost of his right hand before stopping. He turns his back to the wall & slides down to the ground. Wrath hid behind Sloth, fearing he my take his frustration out on him next. Lust on the other hand, felt sympathy. She had her own emotional breakdown not long ago. However, he has her at least ten fold.

"I know I pissed, God off about seven years ago. But, the bullshit just doesn't want to stop... Beaten, stabbed, blown up... And it's my fault." He said before turning his attention to Sloth. "All because, I couldn't let you go... And I pushed Al, into trying to bring you back. And all I did, was pay for my stupidity twice. And I'm still paying for it." He then switched his view to Wrath. He cowered behind Sloth even more, fearing Ed may lunge at him. "As for you... You can keep my arm & leg. I won't need them, where I'm going." He added as he rose to his feet. "What do you mean by that?" Lust asked worriedly as he clapped his hands & turned a metal trash can lid into a new right hand.

Ed turned face her, the look in his eyes almost sent a chill up her spine. His eyes showed no compassion, or fear. All that remained was hate & anger. "I'm going to follow through with a new plan of mine... First, I'm going to find your boss & drive my foot in her ass. Then, I'm going to find Bludgeon & Envy. And send them on a way trip to Hell!"

Lust almost took a step back by the statement, wondering if he could go through with such an act. Suddenly, a drone crashed to the middle of the street in a flaming heap. Everyone was in shock with the exception of Edward, who just stared at it with little emotion. "Self-diagnostic running... Activating, fire suppression systems. Initiating Nano-regeneration." The drone said as it sat up & Co2 gases burst from every joint. "Target, possesses extreme power & volatility... Subatomic Hyper-cache accessed. Processor upgrade enabled. Downloading Tactical Augmentations..."

Several new weapons suddenly materialize & attach themselves to the drone. An eight-barreled cannon with multiple daggers appear on the both arms, twin Gatling guns on the chest, extra armor added to the frame & a targeting eye-piece over it's left eye. "Done. Engage, Enhance Combat Mode..." Ed clapped his hands together & placed his left hand on the ground as the drone extended its jet pack.

The ground erupts with several large spikes that pierce through the drone's legs, chest, arm & head. The light in its eyes goes dark as its body goes limp. The others stood in shock at the brutality & seeing him act like this, was actually becoming scary. He walked past the homunculi that stood to the side. For the moment, Lust now knows who the traitor is. However, for the first time in Lust's existence, she was actually scared.

"Where are you going?" She asked. "To check on T.W... I want to know if he's close to done yet." He answered just as another explosion could be felt. "Wow, he's gone postal." Wrath said nervously as he looked at the lifeless, crucified robot in the center of the street. "Personally, I'm almost not surprised... We've all contributed to this new side of him." Lust stated. "So, he wants revenge?" Sloth asked, lifting an eyebrow. "No. What Edward just did & what he plans to do, has no emotion behind the actions... As an alchemist, he may have now become, everyone's worst nightmare... Which is, the most fiercest enemy you can have, is a man who has nothing left to lose." Lust replied before walking away to catch up to Ed.

Thunderwing slams his right fist onto the ground, sending out a shock wave that shatters the ground around him & knocking many A.E. Drones down. The engines on his back swing forward, becoming twin cannons & fires two enormous beams of bright green energy at the fallen drones. The drone's numbers quickly began to dwindle as the area was now consumed with fire. He swings his engines back to their original position as he fires a beam of fiery energy & at a drone, blasting a hole through its chest & nearly cutting it in half.

The enhanced drones continued to fight on, even though badly damaged. Fighting literally to the death. The last seven drones that were still able to fight, grouped together for a concentrated attack. Thunderwing swings his engines forward once again, preparing to end the conflict. He was about to fire, when several large spikes extended from the ground & impaled the drones. Killing them instantly. Wondering if this was Edward's work, Thunderwing swings his engines back before scanning the area, but notices Ed with the homunculi following closely behind, just now approaching the combat area from his left.

He looks at the ground & sees a woman with dark braided hair, white sleeveless flask, dark green pants & sandals, walks out from the display of destruction. _"Oh, God... Battle-axe, Curtis." _He thought nervously. She noticed Ed with the homunculi standing behind him. She wonders why he was standing with those that wanted to kill him. She didn't have to wait long to find out what was going on when Thunderwing broke the silence.

"The area looks clear." He said in a low, booming tone. Izumi was startled by the alien giant as she was walking over to Ed & the other. "How much did you get to see?" He asked. "Um, not so much see, more like heard." She replied. "Hey, any idea where Envy may have gone?" Ed asked after turning back to the homunculan group.

"Maybe we should check the underground city." Wrath stated, grabbing everyone's attention. Sloth turns to him with a stunned look on her face. As well as Ed & his teacher. Lust doesn't even bother to look at him, or anyone for that matter. She closes her eyes & places her left thumb & forefinger at the inside corners of her eyes & gently rubs them out of frustration. _"I can't believe he just blurted that out..."_ She thought. "Wrath, you fool... Why did you have to say that?" Sloth asked angrily. "It really doesn't matter, Sloth. Edward figured it out anyway." Lust said frustratingly.

"Alright, I say we head there... Who's in?" Thunderwing asked. "Wait, I cannot allow this." Sloth stated boldly. "Oh, please... How do you purpose to stop us? Do you really think, Wrath is going to be enough against us, plus an eighty to one hundred foot tall robot, driven by a homunculus that just turned this area into a junkyard?" Lust asked, pointing to the broken, torn & smashed drones that seemed to litter the area. Wrath & Sloth look up at the towering monster as it clenched its fists & made a low toned growl from the pit of its throat. "Um, I'll be good." Wrath said nervously. Sloth said nothing, but folded her arms. As though showing submission.

The giant changes to its jet form while converting the inside of its cockpit to accommodate the extra passengers. Five cylinders of light encase Ed & the others before disappearing with them. The massive engines ignite, thrusting the large jet forward & heading Northwest, back to Central.

Inside the cockpit, Ed sits in the front with Izumi, Lust sits alone in the center, Sloth & Wrath sit in the final row together. Each row separated by a control panel with a single monitor & some miscellaneous gauges. "I can have us in central in about ten minutes. So if you want to make a game plan, do it now." Thunderwing said calmly as an oscilloscope like wave appeared on the screens to everyone.

"You never did tell us, why you left the other day." Ed said, looking at the console before him & Izumi. "Considering the amount of shit we're treading through, I guess it wouldn't hurt to add a little more to the pile..." Thunderwing stated, surprising Ed & the others by his depiction of the situation.

"I left with Prime, to see a buddy of his way out in space... And it turns out, we have other problems on top of what we have now. There's a transformer called, Nova Prime who disappeared a long time ago with a scientist named, Jhiaxus. And we had the displeasure of meeting his pet-projects, that have the ability to unite into one abomination... Damn thing actually kicked our asses too."

They were all taken back by all this. On top of everything else, now they have someone else to worry about. "Here, a picture is worth a thousand words." He said before the entire scene appeared on all the monitors. They watched with great interest of the meeting with Omega Supreme, the battle with Monstructor & reading the information he learned about Nova Prime as they continued toward Central.

**Underground City, Sub-complex, 20:15.  
**Envy walks through the double large steel doors with Al over his shoulder, who was chained around his arms & legs. "Well, here he is! The man/item of the hour." He said before dropping Al to the floor. "Excellent... I welcome you Alphonse Elric. It is a pleasure to see you again... I would love to stand & chat some more, but we do have some business to attend to." Bludgeon said standing in front of the two bio-pods. "W-What do you plan on doing with me?" Al asked fearfully.

"The answer to that, is simple." Bludgeon replied as he walked over & picked up the armored boy to his face. "In some respect, you are now the Philosopher's Stone. And now, you will have the unprecedented honor, of becoming a God." He added proudly.

Meanwhile, at the stairwell that leads to the surface above. Ed, Izumi, Lust, Sloth & Wrath tread their way to the city. Ed & Izumi take in all ancient ruins of the forgotten religion. "I guess the legends were true..." Izumi said in awe. "Enjoy it while it last. We'll be going through the gates of Hell in a short while." Ed added as they continue down the path. What they may find, may not be what anyone expects, or likes.


	7. Part 2: An Apocalyptic Beginning

**"Cry, 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war."  
Julius Caesar**

**"Annihilation will be unavoidable."  
Disturbed**

**"You can either follow my lead or die in screaming torment."  
Thunderwing**

* * *

**Chapter 7: An Apocalyptic Beginning.**

**Military HQ, Central, 20:15.  
**Sciezka looks at the clock hanging from her office wall & breaths a sigh of relief that she can finally put an en to her day. She grabbed her handbag out from behind her desk & shuts the lights off as she walked out of her office. "Finally, I get to go home." She said as she approached the double doors to the front courtyard. The doors are suddenly ripped from the frame & thrown to the lawn. The twelve foot tall Thunderwing folds his wings slightly & walks in.

"Where is Bradley?" He asked sternly. "H-He's not here. He went home early for his son's birthday. He also said, he was thinking of taking a trip with the family during this time." Sciezka answered nervously. "Shit... He knew we were coming." He commented, just as he heard the sound of several footsteps approaching him. Sciezka turned the more than dozen soldiers armed with machine guns & rifles. Their presence suddenly gave way to the sound of a different sound of foot steps. One sounding of metal "clanging" on the tiled floor. "Oh, my God. That's... Colonel Archer." She said nervously & quietly, but Thunderwing looked on unimpressed.

"So, you're one of those alien robots that we've been hearing about... Your friends made quite a mess in Drachma." Archer said in a metallic voice. "Really, didn't noticed... Now step aside or I'll be forced to hurt you... Or kill you." Thunderwing said sternly as he opened his wings, grabbed Sciezka & forced her behind him in an effort to protect her. "Sorry, this is as far as you go." Archer said before rotating his left arm to his new high-powered cannon. "Sciezka... Leave. Now!" Thunderwing demanded. She nods nervously in compliance & runs outside.

(Begin soundtrack: Rob Zombie - Iron Head.)

Thunderwing begins to crack his knuckles, which give off a more "metallic" type sound, intimidating those in front of him. "Don't faulter, just shoot it!" Archer ordered as he made the first shot, that his Thunderwing in the chest. The shock from the blast forces the near-by windows to explode from their frames. "I don't have time for this... Move out of my way or burn in the pits of damnation!" He said as he began to march forward. The soldiers started to back away, continuing to fire. But the beast showed no damage, let-alone slowing down.

"Don't let up... He'll fall soon enough!" Archer shouted as he continued to fire, striking Thunderwing in the chest & shoulders. "I admire your courage & your stubborn refusal to admit a lost cause. It's a proud human trait... But there is a fine line between tenacity & stupidity." Thunderwing stated as some of the soldiers started to hand grenades. They detonated with no effect. Thunderwing grabs one of the soldiers & slams the back of his head against the wall, killing him instantly. Blood stains the wall & the floor as his lifeless body lies motionless. "And you crossed it several moments ago." Thunderwing added coldly.

He fires a blast of energy from both hands & instantly kills two more soldiers. Blasting through their chests, leaving large & charred holes, staining the floor with more blood. "Fall back, fall back!" One soldier shouted. They all complied as Archer continued to fire. Thunderwing clapped his hands out in front of him, sending a wave of energy toward the fleeing soldiers. Tearing up tiles, cracking the drywall & knocking the soldiers around like rag-dolls. Archer shielded his eyes & braced himself as he heard the sounds of destruction & screaming coming from the terrified soldiers.

He uncovers his eyes & only to see the monster standing before him. Archer was unable to react as Thunderwing grabbed by his throat with his left hand & fiercely slammed him against wall, holding him at eye level. "Coping Edward's Automail, are we?" He asked. "Well, when you think about it, it truly has its advantages." Archer said before opening his mouth to reveal his machine-gun. He was able to fire several rounds into Thunderwing's face before he started to tighten his grip. The sound of steel being crushed, resonated in Archer's ears. His body went limp & his left eye stopped glowing after a sudden "snap" was heard.

(End Soundtrack)

"Pity... I'll give you points for effort. But in the end, you're just as expendable as anyone else." Thunderwing said before dropping him to the ground. Meanwhile, Lt. Ross runs through the front doors with a small group of soldiers & stand in shock at the devastation inside the lobby. They ran down the hallway & saw the bodies of several soldiers littering the floor. She could feel her dinner wanting to come back up on, especially after seeing the mangled body of one soldier sitting in a pool of blood. His mechanical limbs ripped apart & his head missing from the rest of the body.

**Underground City, 20:30.**  
Ed & his team finally reach the outskirts of the city. He & Izumi were in shock. Never imagining the legends or myths would be true... "The people were all sacrificed to make the first Philosopher's Stone. Then afterward, alchemy was used to pull the city underground. Erasing everything that happened, but leaving enough to fuel the curious. All in hopes of making a new Stone in the future." Ed said quietly before his anger started bubble to the surface.

He calmed himself before turning to face Lust & the other homunculi. "So, where's the elevator?" He asked. "Connected to the living quarters, all the way to the back." She replied. They began their journey to meet with their giant friend, in hopes of putting this dragging nightmare to an end & hope to contain it down below & out of sight.

**Decepticon Command Bunker, Dublith.**  
Astrotrain stands nervously near the same diamond shape container that, Starscream used to empower himself with, Ore-13. The doors open & Megatron walks out, renewed & disgusted from the day's events. "Astrotrain, report." He demanded as he walked past his subordinate.

"Well.. Remember that, Elric human? Laserbeak reported saying he saw him & four others enter the, Underground City where Soundwave had him & Ravage stationed. The reason as to why they're down there now, seems to be connected with what happened just outside." Astrotrain answered with a sense of fear, knowing that he may have said too much. "What do you mean, exactly?" Megatron asked, looking over his shoulder, giving a death stare.

"Um, a bunch of A.E. Drones showed up & Thunderwing, pretty much slagged them all." Astrotrain answered nervously. "A.E. Drones attacked Thunderwing, while he was here? And yet, he didn't attack the base afterwards?" Megatron asked, holding a hand to his chin. Wondering what kind of power, does one lolly human have, over a monster like that.

"Afterward, they left heading for the city called, Central... Apparently, Thunderwing seems to be working with or for the Elric human. Perhaps, that's why we were never a target. I think they went after the one that ran off with the Philosopher's Stone." Astrotrain added with a sense of relief, knowing he may be able to hang on to his life a little longer.

"Hmm... Yes, the Stone. I read about in the datatracks..." Megatron added. "Also, there seems to be word going around that, Bludgeon may still be alive." Astrotrain said calmly. "Bludgeon..." Megatron said, with a growl. "For this ignominy... Heads must roll... This goes for Bludgeon's, especially... And as Prime has seen fit to introduce reinforcements, so shall I... Astrotrain, get me Sixshot!" He added. "What? You can't be serious! We've never used him at this stage. It's... Unthinkable!" Astrotrain said nervously. "I did not invite debate... Let there be, devastation!" Megatron said before walking away.

**Underground City, 20:55.**  
Ed & his team reach the Dante's mansion, which also was the homunculi's home. "Seems quiet around here." Ed noted. "Too quiet." Izumi said, looking at the surroundings. A sudden noise comes from an alleyway about fifty feet behind them, followed by the sound of light metallic footsteps forces them to take notice. A large robotic jaguar appears & stares at the small group. A large red & white bird like creature lands on the rooftop of the building next to the jaguar.

The homunculi readied themselves for a conflict, but Ravage & Laserbeak showed no intimidation. Ed stepped in front of his group with his hands out in front, hoping to keep things from escalating. "Whoa, cool it... Let's find out what they're here for." He pleaded. "We shouldn't run the risk of trusting too many... How do we know they're not working for Bludgeon?" Lust asked sternly, grabbing the Decepticon's attention. "Well, maybe we should try to find out." Ed replied. Lust didn't think too highly of the idea, but retracted her blades out of some trust for Ed's ability.

He turns to face the two Decepticons that seem to glance at each other. Ravage sat down, showing what appeared to be a form of mutual understanding. Ed was rather surprised by the gesture, but continued to stay firm & not to show fear. "Okay, you haven't decided to attack. So, I'm going to go out on a limb & guess you're looking for something or someone, right?" He asked.

Ravage nodded his head in response. _"He actually understood me?" _He thought in surprisement. "Alright, maybe we're after the same thing... We're looking for Bludgeon." His word shocked the two Decepticons. They looked at each other before turning behind them & see, Rumble fly over to them & land next to Ravage.

Rumble stood & stared at the group, wondering if this was a good idea to show up. "So, you're the Fullmetal Shrimp & the Freaks." He said. They all seemed to give him a death stare at that moment as Ravage stepped aside, fearing what may come next. Suddenly, Rumble is hit hard by a flying steel chair, that mysteriously came out of nowhere & knocks him to the ground. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A BEAN SO SMALL, HE CAN'T EVEN BEEN SEEN BY THE MOST POWERFUL MICROSCOPE?" Ed screamed.

Rumble rose to his feet, staggering slightly. "Hey, what's-" He was cut off when a large rock suddenly smashed him in the face & knocked him down again. "AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALL SO UGLY, SHE WAS REJECTED BY A TRAVELING CIRCUS?" Lust screamed, breathing heavily. Everyone was astonished by her actions, never seeing her act like Edward.

Ed looked at her just when she realized what she did & felt rather embarrassed. _"Wow, that's how I act? She's right, I do need help." _He thought before he walked up to the doors to the mansion while Ravage & Laserbeak just stared at Rumble, who's body twitched on the ground.

They walk inside. An ominous silence surrounded them, almost haunting. They walked to the stairwell & started up the right hand side. At the top was a long hallway with several doors on each side. The first door they came to was cracked open. Ed pushed it open carefully from a slight distance & saw Rose sitting quietly on a couch, wearing a purple dress, holding her baby & looked at him with a blank expression in her eyes. "What the hell is, Rose doing here?" He asked.

Lust walks over to her & sees Dante's "brain washing" in her eyes. She gently takes the baby in her arms & motions for Izumi to walk over. "Slap her." She ordered. Izumi looked at her wanting to question her idea, but figured it might be the best approach. Izumi bows down slightly puts a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Sorry." She said before slapping Rose across the face with her other free hand. Rose puts a hand to her cheek as reality began to set in.

"Edward? What are you doing here?" She asked. "No time. You need to get out of here, right now." He said as she got up off the couch. "Get her to the elevator & get her out of here." He said looking at Lust & Izumi. "Edward, what's going on?" Rose asked worriedly. "No time, just go." He replied as he walked out of the room & continued down the hallway with Sloth & Wrath.

Lust gives Rose the child back to her before she lead them to the second lobby. The walk to another joining hallway the ended at another set of stairs. Before reaching the bottom of the steps, they heard a loud howling noise coming from the shaft. There was a thundering crash that damaged the outer doors. The doors were suddenly kicked from their frame & onto the floor. Rose's baby cries from the noise as she herself, hides behind Izumi from the monster that is beginning to emerge from the shaft.

"What, what is that thing?" Rose asked nervously, while trying to calm her child. "Nice work, Shadow... You just took out the easy way back to the surface." Lust said maliciously. "Trust me, you wouldn't want to go up that way... At least, not until they've had a chance to shampoo the carpets." Thunderwing replied before tossing Archer's head in front of them. "Jesus Christ, it's Archer! What the fuck happened to him?" Lust asked, but Thunderwing only grinned mischievously.

Meanwhile... Ed, Sloth & Wrath approach Dante's room & Sloth knocked on the door. "Master, we've returned..." Sloth said, hoping for a response, but heard nothing. She slowly opens the door to a dark room. She flicks on the near-by light switch & the three were shocked when they found Dante's body lying face down on the now "blood soaked" floor. Ed placed his left hand on her cheek & felt the coldness of her skin, making him assume that she had been dead for some time.

"Alright... Let's get out of here." Ed said before grabbing the blanket off the bed & covered her body in a small gesture of respect. He turns the light off & closes the door behind him. "So, now what?" Sloth asked despondently. "Let's get out of here... We'll let T.W. burn everything to the ground." Ed answered as he began to walk down the hallway to meet up with the others.

**Decepticon Command Bunker, 21:30.  
**A large green & grey transformer with wing on his upper chest, covering the face of his shoulders & on his back. Tank treads mounted to his forearms & shoulders. This is the Decepticon's living weapon. Feared by both sides. A masterpiece of destruction & death.

Sixshot stands in what appeared to be a throne room & seated before him, was Megatron. And in a displeasing mood as well. "You understand... I want them hunted down, eradicated! I want... Devastation!" He said as he slammed his left fist into his open right palm. "I get that, Megatron. It's just... I'm more of a 'Phase Six' kind of 'bot. Shape this planet's in, it doesn't look more that the early stages of 'Phase Two' to me... You sure you want me out there doing what I do, how I do it? It's just, when I'm done... They'll know it!" Sixshot exclaimed, while questioning this course of action.

"I no longer care. We are beyond the structure of phases here. Two, three... It barely matters any more. These are exceptional circumstances, Sixshot, and as such require extreme measures!" Megatron said, leaning forward in his chair. Sixshot was beginning to second guess his judgment, but decided to go along with it or end up in a body bag. "Okay. Just point me & pull the trigger." He said, snapping his fingers & giving a 'handgun' gesture to his leader. "Excellent. Your first objective, find Bludgeon & bring me his head!" Megatron said, slamming his fist onto the armrest while the other Decepticons listen from the doorway nervously.

**Underground City, 21:45  
**Ed & the others meet outside the mansion. Edward, also not happy with the news about the elevator. "Nice job, Fatass." He said smugly. "Calm down, at least there's another way out." Thunderwing added, standing behind Rose & looking down her dress as she cuddled her baby. Being twelve feet tall (at this moment), has it's advantages. Ed shook his head in disgust before looking at Izumi. "Teacher, would you mind helping Rose out of here?" He asked. She nodded in compliance & motion for Rose to follow as Thunderwing walked over to Ed & the others & kneels to discuss the next part of their plan.

Rumble stood nervously staring at the destroyer of Cybertron, not believing this was the Thunderwing of long ago. He looks over at Ravage & gives a small smirk. "Look at him. At this size, he doesn't look so tough... I bet, I can kick his ass." Ravage shook his head, almost trying to plead with him not to tempt fate in this suicidal manner. Rumble swaggers over & taps Thunderwing's left shoulder. "Hey, Ugly Bitch!" Ed & the homunculi's eyes shot open & they stared at him in shock as Thunderwing slowly turned his head to face him. Looking unmoved by the remark.

"I don't go down so easily... I'm one of the toughest little Decepticons in the ranks, bitch... I'm one of the wreckin' crew, and I'm gonna tear you down." Rumble said in his trademark "Chicago accent". Ed & the others gazed at Thunderwing, knowing what's about to happen next. Thunderwing looks at him with a disgusted look & thinks about whether he should deal with this quickly or painfully.

**P.O.V. - Fist Cam.  
**Thunderwing takes aim as the sight of Rumble's face suddenly shows a look of pure fear & dread. Thunderwing's fist connects & knocks Rumble back about ten feet. He lies on the ground unconscious as Ed walks over to check on him.

**Normal view.  
**"Yeah, he's out cold... What a dumbass." He said. Suddenly, Ravage takes a whiff of the air & noticed a foul smell began to fill the air. A light vibration began to surround them. Thunderwing quickly switched to full size & stood in front of Ed & his fellow kin as to guard them from what may be coming. The ballroom suddenly explodes, sending debris & dust in every direction. A large samurai with tank treads on its thighs. A gold, green & purple color scheme. His face looked much like Thunderwing's, lit with an amber glow.

Next to him was a shorter transformer. Thunderwing like face, silver armor with black bands wrapped around its hands, upper chest, lower waist with a skirt like look & bands near its feet. His eyes & mouth glowed with a bright violet purple, somewhat veiled by long metallic green dreadlocks. "Hey there, Fullmetal Pipsqueak!" It said in a metallic yet, malice tone.

"Envy?" Ed asked nervously. Ravage runs off as Laserbeak grabs Rumble by the shoulders & flies off towards the exit point. "So, Envy. Decided to turn yourself into a real monster now?" Thunderwing asked while standing firm. "Trust me, Thunderwing. If you only could remember the truth as to why you tried your experiment upon yourself." Bludgeon answered.

_"What is he talking about? If Thunderwing had such a memory, it's probably like Swiss cheese, much like everything else."_ Thunderwing thought as he motioned for Ed & the others to run. They gladly complied & without hesitation. _"Shit, this is not good! Couldn't find Al, and now there are three Thunderwings down here."_ Ed thought.

(Begin soundtrack: Saliva - Ladies & Gentlemen.)

Bludgeon draws the handle to his energy sword from behind as jumps high into the air & dropkicks Thunderwing's face as Bludgeon slices into the base of his leg's backside, leaving a deep gouge in its armor. He rolls onto his stomach as Bludgeon & Envy stood over him at opposite ends. "Give it up, Shady... You can't take us both on. Not when we are at the same level." Envy stated as he & Bludgeon stared down at their "older sibling" as Thunderwing began to slowly sit up on all four.

"Watch me." He said before lunging at Bludgeon's sword & punching him square in his face. He swings around with the sword & slices off Envy's right arm off from the shoulder. He falls to the ground screaming in pain as Thunderwing turned the blade & pierced him through the stomach. Envy changes his left arm into a dagger & thrusts it through Thunderwing's right shoulder, just missing his engine. He grabs Envy by the throat with his left hand & digs his nails deep into his carbon-steel neck.

Ed & the others peered back towards the violence behind them as they quickly ran to catch up with Izumi & Rose, who also turned & took notice of the melee in the short distance. The ceiling to the underground cave just behind Ed & the others gives way. They look up to see what looked like a large six barreled hand gun.

They look on in shock as it transformed & crashed to the ground on its feet, holding a large rifle in each hand as everyone was knocked to the ground from the impact of its landing. "Well, well, well... How convenient. Three freaks under one roof." He said as the brawl seemed to pause for the moment.

"What are you doing here, Sixshot?" Bludgeon asked as he rose back to his feet. "Under orders from Megatron, I was told to bring him your head. Whether it's attached to your body or not..." Sixshot answered coldly. "Fool, you have no idea what I have become. I am a, God... Much like Thunderw-" Bludgeon was interrupted when Envy suddenly smash onto his head, as if being used like a steel chair. "Shut your ass up, bitch! I ain't down with you yet." Thunderwing said, grabbing Envy & throwing him into the mansion beside them.

The building collapses onto him as Thunderwing turns to grab Bludgeon. He claps his hands together & places one on the ground, red lightning dances across the ground, followed by several large spikes that explode & Peirce Thunderwing's forehead, shoulders, lower abdomen & thighs. The light from his face dims as his engines power down. This surprised everyone, even Sixshot. "Edward... He, used alchemy..." Lust said nervously as she helped Ed to his feet. "I know... And without a transmutation circle... Did he go inside the Gate or..." His eyes shot open when another horrifying fact entered his mind.

"That worked better than anticipated..." Bludgeon said as Envy dug himself free as his right arm was nearly finished repairing itself. "Don't forget, he's part homunculus like me. He'll come back soon enough." Envy said, but Bludgeon turned his attention to Sixshot. Thunderwing's engines swing around & are aimed at Bludgeon's face. He was shocked at how quickly he recovered as he saw the life return to Thunderwing's face & his engines charged with an loud hum as he began to break free from his spiked prison.

Envy quickly ran to Thunderwing's side & made a quick leg-sweep to his right leg, knocking him off balance as Bludgeon ducked & Thunderwing fired two bright green beams of energy that began to cut into the ceiling. The line explodes with near atomic force, almost deafening everyone in the room. "Uh, oh... This is gonna suck." Envy said before being struck by several boulders as was Bludgeon. Sixshot transforms to his jet form escapes through the ever expanding hole. Passing buildings filled with terrified civilians.

Ed & Izumi clap their hands & create a steel dome over the group. Thunderwing rose to his feet & threw himself over the dome just as several large boulders quickly buried them. Sixshot looks on while hovering over the area in his jet form. "Wow, this brings back some bad memories." Sixshot said to himself as memories of the past, made a quick rush through his psyche.

The dust takes several moments to clear. Sixshot uses this time to transform & looks into the hole in the Earth. _"A Thunderhead Pass on this backwater rock... Also, did I just see Thunderwing throw himself in harm's way to save a bunch of flesh bags?"_He thought. A large rock suddenly turned over in the general vicinity of one of the buried monsters. Beams of light shine brightly from the debris before exploding in different directions. Thunderwing slowly rises to his feet as his body continues to heal. The dome that covered Ed & the others retracted back to the ground & they viewed the damage that had been done.

The sight & smell of blood & death filled the scene. They were warned of the possibility of massive casualties, but the sight was still difficult to take in. Thunderwing kneels down & lowered an open hand, allowing Ed & the others to climb on. He stands & ignites his engines to give him an extra boost to leap out of the hole. He landed hard onto the ground with the sound of thunder. He turns to look at Sixshot, who was still staring down into the hole, waiting for any other movement.

(End soundtrack.)

Thunderwing looks down to his hand & was about to speak his mind, when the same feeling he had in Dublith, suddenly overwhelmed his senses. A primal instinct of uneasiness came to him. The same feeling came over Sixshot & the both started to scan the area. Thunderwing made a low growl in his throat as he confirmed his instincts. The outline of the area was now surrounded with A.E. Drones. Sixshot also takes notice, almost liking what he sees... A possible challenge.

Ed looks around & knows this is about to turn from war to Armageddon as he & everyone else looks at the sea of machines. "Hmm... This is starting to look bad." Thunderwing said calmly. "Starting to?" Lust said sarcastically. "H-How many do you think there are of these things?" Wrath asked nervously. "I'd say, somewhere in the range of, three hundred thousand. Give or take." Thunderwing replied. "What?" They shouted in unison.

"Listen... This may go very badly. I want you guys gone." Thunderwing stated. "Hell, no! Bludgeon might be using Al to preform alchemy. Or didn't you happen to notice that?" Ed shouted. "I did, but I can't fight & protect you at the same time... So, I made a call to Ratchet to get all of you out of here. Sorry Edward, this is too big for you now." Thunderwing added before placing a hand to the side of his head.

"Ratchet, has Wheeljack reconfigured the Orbital Bounce for transporting humans?" He asked. "Yes, everything has been set to what you requested, but we haven't had the chance to test it yet." Ratchet replied. "Well, I have seven to transport... Get them out. Now!" He ordered. Ed was about to object to this when seven cylinders of light encase him & the others before disappearing. Now that they're out of the way, I can cut lose." Thunderwing said as his engines swung forward.

(Begin soundtrack: Axel Rudi Pell - Legions of Hell.)

"When did you get your mind back, Thunderwing?" Sixshot asked before cocking his rifles. "Who says I did?" He replied as they now stood back to back. The Drones began their march forward as people began to flee, trying to avoid being stepped on. "Ready?" Thunderwing asked. "Hmpt, not that I have to be against these things." Sixshot replied confidently before nearly the first wave of Drones begin to open fire. Sixshot quickly retaliates as explosions surround them both. Thunderwing fires two large beams of energy from his cannons that destroy several Drones & many were able to dodge the attack.

Thunderwing's engines swing back around before firing blasts of fiery energy, taking out another group of Drones. "Hey, catch!" Sixshot said as he transforms into his gun form. Thunderwing grabs hold of the handle, takes aim & fires at multiple Drones that are continuing to swarm them from all around as those behind them begin their upgrade process. Explosions continue to rock the area around him as he tosses Sixshot, who quickly transforms to his "Wolf Mode" & charges at a group, slashing & tearing into anything that moved without a second thought as Thunderwing stomped his right foot down, sending a shock wave around him & knocking down a couple dozen Drones.

He grabs one by the its leg & begins to use its body like a club, smashing some Drones over their heads savagely. Those that could still fight started to clime onto him & began to pierce into his back & legs with their upgraded limbs. Black lightning cracks off his body before throwing his arms out & surrounds himself with a bright, bluish/white dome of energy as explodes around him, letting out a thunderous roar as the ground shatters like glass. Sending debris & broken bodies in all directions, buying a short reprieve for himself. Sixshot continues his own onslaught as he enjoys the fruits of his labor, proving why he is "The Living Weapon." But even he needs repairs once in a while, and the numbers are beginning to show on his armor. Small cracks show on his body from this form of prolonged fighting.

At the bottom of the hole, where the city once stood. Envy & Bludgeon, finish digging themselves free, hearing the war that's taking place above them. "So, now what?" Envy asked coldly. "If Thunderwing, refuses to join in our cause, then we must eliminate him before he can become an even greater distraction." Bludgeon answered. They leap out from the hole & land on the ground topside. Thunderwing senses their presents & catches their movement from the corner of his eye. Envy leaps into the air once again, looking to dropkick him as Bludgeon draws his sword & makes a running charge. But he was not going to fall victim to this scenario twice.

He ignites his engines as he jumps to grab Envy in midair & swings him around multiple times. Each time faster & faster, building momentum before releasing him into Bludgeon. Sending them through several damaged buildings & cutting a straight path across the ground. He lands back onto the ground & walks over to them just as Envy was wearily rising to his feet. He clasped his hands together, charges forward & hits Envy with a thunderous double-handed uppercut. Breaking his jaw & knocking him back almost five hundred yards & onto a large church.

Bludgeon started to regain his senses & was about to clap his hands together when Thunderwing slammed his left foot down in Bludgeon's right hand. He knelt down & grabbed Bludgeon's throat with his left hand "Forget it, bitch. I ain't lettin' you have a chance to pull that crap in me a second time..." Thunderwing said before cocking & aiming his right fist. "Hey, Ed... Anything you want to me to tell Bludgeon?" He asked.

**Ark-19  
**"Yeah, tell him to go fuck himself." He answered maliciously while he & several Autobots watched the war on multiple monitors. "Will do... Sweat dreams, bitch." Thunderwing answered before his fist slammed into Bludgeon's face & drove the back of his head into the ground & almost breaking his helmet in two. "I'm beginning to wonder if we should get involved or not?" Hardhead asked as he folded his arms. "Negative... I've already called for extra support." Prime said as he walked into the room with Nightbeat, grabbing everyone's attention. "Edward, may I speak with you & your homunculan friends for a moment?" Nightbeat asked. They complied & followed him into a neighboring room.

He knelt down before them with a troubled look on his face as Prime also walked in & closed the door behind him. "So... What's all this about?" Ed asked. "In short, I've studied the 'Red Water' & it is a byproduct of Ore-13... Also, I have reason to believe that your homunculan friend's DNA may hold the key to stabilizing the flaws in Ore-13..." Nightbeat stated. "And because of this new fact, your lives are in danger. If the Decepticon were to find out about this, the course of the war would change in their favor." Prime added.

**Central  
**Envy staggers back to his feet & realigns his jaw back into place. "Computer, download all upgrades. Now!" He ordered as a six-pack of helicopter blades appear on his upper back & his frame began to bulk out with a pair short-barreled laser cannons attach themselves to his forearms. After his transformation was complete, he now looked like a MH53 helicopter.

He quickly transformed into his chopper form & started to elevate up, but came crashing down after several missiles stuck him & left him as a flaming wreck. Thunderwing looks up & sees what looked like four fighter jets & a longer passenger jet fly overhead. "Who & what the hell are they?" He asked before he continued attacking the A.E. Drones that surrounded him, who also took notice of the jets above.

"Aerial Bots..." Sixshot muttered before noticing Envy's burned & mangled body was nearly finished putting itself back together again. He changes back to his robot form. "Hey, palm tree..." Envy turns & come face to face with Sixshot's laser gun form. He fires, all six barrels fire in unison, punching through Envy's already damaged armor & killing him for a second time. "You're no, Thunderwing... That much I'll say." Sixshot stated in a disappointing tone.

Though the numbers of the A.E. Drones are dwindling, Thunderwing's armor continues to show signs of fatigue. Bludgeon rises to his feet as he throws his helmet to the ground & grabs the handle to his energy sword. He makes a mad-dash while Thunderwing's back is turned. Thunderwing grabs a dead Drone, turns to dodge Bludgeon's attack before casually smashing him over the head. He kicks him over & steps on Bludgeon's left with is right foot. "How was it possible that you could use alchemy? Let's just find out by checking under the hood, shall we." Thunderwing said maliciously as he grabbed the center plate of Bludgeon's chest with his right hand.

The sound of tearing metal & Bludgeon's screams fill the air before the plate is ripped away. Upon seeing the interior, he was almost slack-jawed when he saw a red glowing symbol stamped just on the outside of a round metal casing. "Ark-19... Someone answer me, quick." Thunderwing pleaded. "This is Prowl, go ahead."

"The area is almost secure... But, I need Edward back here. Now!" Thunderwing shouted before wrapping his left hand around Bludgeon's throat. He grabs his left forearm & looks at him with a sadistic grin. "This is so you can't do anything while Edward is here." He said before tearing his arm apart from the elbow, causing Bludgeon to scream in pain.

(End soundtrack)

Five green cylinders of light appear, two being much wider than the others. Just to Thunderwing's left, stood Jazz, Wheeljack, Ed, Lust & Wrath, who were just catching him in the middle of tearing Bludgeon's left arm away, followed by the screams of pain. "Jesus Christ, man. What the hell?" Ed asked fearfully. "Don't mind me, I was just 'disarming' him." He answered coldly. "Check out the inside of his chest." He added before seeing Envy make a rushing charge at them with Bludgeon's sword like a crazed lunatic. Thunderwing quickly changes to his "Ultra Mode" & grabs him by his chest, before raising him up off his feet & slamming him onto the ground to Bludgeon's right with enough force that cracks the earth beneath Envy's back. Causing him to lose his grip on the sword.

"What the hell is that thing, man?" Jazz asked nervously. "That 'thing', use to be Envy." Lust answered calmly as Jazz helped her, Ed & Wrath to Bludgeon's chest while Wheeljack kept a gun to his head. Bludgeon only smirked as a sudden silence seemed to take over. Their eyes were wide with utter shock as they stared at the glowing blood, not believing or able to understand how such a fusion could be possible.

"Al?" Ed asked nervously. "Brother... When I said, I wanted my body to be 'whole' again. This isn't what I had in mind." Al said, taking his brother by surprise with the statement. "Wheeljack, do you have any ideas as to how we can separate them?" Ed asked. "Unfortunately, no. Not without the possibility of killing your brother." Wheeljack replied sadly. Ed just looked at the down at himself as he rubbed his forehead with his left hand. "Ed, when you went inside to get your brother's soul. Did you see what happened to the rest of him?" Thunderwing asked in a low thundering voice.

"Not really... Why?" Ed replied, looking up at the armored giant. Thunderwing looked away for a moment before returning with an answer. "Open the Gate..." Ed, Lust & Wrath looked at him shocked expressions, not believing the suggestion. "Y-You, want me to do what?" Ed asked nervously. "You heard me. There may be a way to break the bond that Bludgeon made with Al... Make an arcane transmutation circle between Bludgeon & myself. We can use Envy to open the Gate & fix everything... _Hopefully._" He said as Envy began to struggle free.

He takes aim at Wheeljack with his left arm-mounted gun & fires a blast of energy, nearly splitting his armor down the middle & knocking Jazz back. Thunderwing quickly changes back to his original form & grabs Envy's arm just as he pointed his gun at Ed. Thunderwing crushes the barrel before hyper-extending his arm & breaking the joint. He screams in pain just before Thunderwing started to lay in a barrage of right handed punches. "Edward, hurry!" He shouted. Ed jumped down to the ground & clapped his hands. The large black outlines of the winged transmutation circle appeared on the ground, beneath Bludgeon & Envy.

"He claps his hands again & places them on the circle. It begins to glow bright red, grabbing Sixshot's attention as the area is consumed with a blinding flash of light. After a short moment, the light fades. Wheeljack stands next to Jazz, completely healed as Jazz looks at the unconscious Alphonse, sleeping in his hands. They look at the mangled body of Bludgeon. His arms, legs, shoulder pads & his sword were gone, but somehow, he was still alive. "What was that, that we saw?" Jazz asked nervously. "I don't know... But, let's get back to base. Prime's going to want to know about all this." Wheeljack replied. "Ark-19, three to beam back." He added. Two green cylinders of light surrounded them before fading away into nothing.

Bludgeon lies on the ground in silence, staring up the smoke filled night sky. His moment was suddenly interrupted by the sound of foot steps. He turns to face the sound, only to notice the end of a gun barrel staring back at him & the sight of Sixshot holding it. "Time to pay Megatron his 'dues', Bludgeon." A loud shot, followed by darkness...

**From the personal Datatracks of Optimus Prime. One week later.  
**_It has now been one Earth week since the disappearance of one, Edward Elric. The three homunculi, Lust, Wrath & Envy. And finally, Thunderwing... Our investigation into the matter has unfortunately, gone cold. However, Alphonse Elric holds out hope that his brother & everyone else still lives & vowed to help bring them home. For the human city of Central, I've offered the architectural assistance from the best of the Autobots, lead by Grapple. Which include, Hoist, Huffer, Quickmix, Landfill & Wideload. According to Grapple's latest report, reconstruction efforts are going smoothly... However, there was one distracting incident._

**Military HQ, front lawn. Five days before this entry.  
**Mustang stands behind a large podium with a microphone attached to the top with a short, flexible support. "Ladies & Gentlemen. And robots..." He said, looking at Bumblebee, who waved lightly & was holding what look like a camcorder & Brawn, who stood by with his arms folded. "I'm proud & yet, '_nervous_' to introduce to you all, the new leader of our great nation & our military... Fuhrer Adam West."

The band began to play as Mustang stepped aside & West walked up to the podium. "Who's this guy?" Brawn asked. "I got a bad feeling about this." Bumblebee replied. "Thank you General Mustang... My fellow Amestrians & miscellaneous countrymen... As of this moment, I will spread the seeds of 'peace' & bring our nation & its people closer together... I pray daily that our lost heroes, haven't been murdered, eaten or viciously raped on a daily bases, wherever they my be..." He said, forcing everyone to look at each other oddly by the last statement.

"I told the higher-ups. Giving him the job, would be a huge mistake." Mustang whispered to Lt. Hawkeye as she gently nodded. "Now, I know we planned on making a statue in dedication to Edward Elric & company. But I decided instead, to spend the entire budget on this golden statue of the cartoon Honey Smacks frog." Everyone looked at the unveiling of the statue in shock. Even Laserbeak, who was watching the event from from atop of a building just across the street.

_Well, it could've been a lot worse..._

"Oh, yes... I'm also going to bring a new wave of democracy to our nation." He added proudly.

_I stand corrected..._

Megatron sits in his command chair looking over his daily reports when a strange feeling suddenly grabbed his attention. He looked around the room, gaining the attention of several of his subordinates. "Something wrong, Megatron?" Starscream asked in a callous tone. "I'm not sure... I suddenly felt this rush of evil, far greater than my own." He replied.

_On a more disturbing matter, the security facility on Garrus-9 has been breached. We face catastrophic fallout if certain recent... Inmates end up in enemy hands. Prowl wished to debate the matter, but we the closest to respond to this dilemma. I'm leaving Hot Rod in charge of operations on this planet. I do not leave this world lightly, but for the time being... Earth will have to fend for itself!"_

**Datatrack Entry, closed.**


End file.
